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Forums > Software > QuarkXPress
Written by Maria Siebeck on April 30, 2008
Which do you prefer, Quark or InDesign and why?
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Quark 8 Demo
I would suggest Downloading the demo and giving it a shot
Quark comeback?
I have used and still use both and I guess until Quark 8 arrived last month I would have found it hard to really push Quarks corner sure 7 was a good step in the right direction and has some excellent features but these never really matched up with the design extras you got as standard in Indesign.
However Quark 8 is a stunning update and really puts the hole debate back into the arena, Quarks new tools and features have really won me over and I love it to bits.
A very good reason for Quark
First, I have been an InDesign user since day one and have never looked back. Not much to say here except that I have always preferred InDesign since its release.
The reason for Quark is the same reason why I choose InDesign. Workflow needs and application preferences can vary greatly from company to company and person to person.
One size does not fit all in the creative world --- at least that has been my experience. Long live Quark for those that choose it!
QXD or ID - or both...
I have used Quark since the first beta version - more than 20 years - and have resisted ID, even though it comes with Creative Suite. "Driving" Quark is automatic after all these years. After upgrading from Tiger, much to my dismay (to say the least!), I discovered transparency in Quark does not work in Leopard. Huge problem - no drop shadows, no screened images, boxes, etc. - no way that would do. So, I was left with no choice but to begin designing in InDesign. Being able to change the keyboard shortcuts from ID's default to Quark 4 helps - although some of them do not work the same. I've been using ID for new projects - at the present that means large and small POP material, ads, etc. and I like it a lot. I especially like the way it so easily converts to pdf, eps, etc. and the way you utilize its color. It is very intuitive and you can tell it is aimed at the graphic designer. However, every six months we produce a 100 page catalog I would feel more comfortable keeping in Quark because I like the way Quark handles text better, and its shadows (when they work) are much prettier than IDs. Although I am not as proficient in ID as Quark, I am so comfortable (and it is fun) I now do all POP in this program. I can see myself switching between the two from now on. That is, IF Quark 8 has successfully addressed the transparency issue.
InDesign vs. Quark
I started in this business (book publishing/production artist) using Quark 3.3 about 15 years ago. That was really all you could use unless you wanted to do your work in Pagemaker.
As the industry has changed I had to adapt to InDesign and started with InDesign 2.0.
I just wanted to scream. Then we went to CS, CS2, and now CS3. I have to say that I like InDesign now. I like all the features it offers and it is much more intuitive and easier to use than the initial programs. I think to some extent they have too many overlapping features between their programs but hey.....
Now we work in both, but more and more,I think it will shift to InDesign. I think the interchangeability (is that a word) of programs and all the features it allows makes the difference.
99% of our clients in the book publishing field want there files in InDesign. We still do some files in Quark but they are usually files that have been done initially in Quark. And even a lot of those the clients are now wanting in InDesign. In fact, we still do most of our work in Quark in 4. I have updated at home to 7.0 but have had little use for it with the client base that I have.
Not the best review, but somewhat brain dead today....
Pete
Dreamspeaker Graphics
InDesign or XPress
I'd love to be proficient in both programs but I haven't found time to learn InDesign. Like Steve, I've used XPress almost since its introduction. I know it so well and can work in it so quickly that it hardly makes sense to work more slowly in InDesign when I have a deadline looming. That said, I know I need to learn how to use InDesign since more and more of my favorite resources seem to be focusing on it.
QXP v ID
I use both but prefer QXP as I know it inside out. The frustrations of QXP are the lack of ability to outline type on the fly when producing final PDFs for printers and the lack of ability to import native AI files. That's it - it is much faster than ID because I know ALL the short cuts but ID has advantages too - cleaner PDF export, black for example is processed as a clean colour whereas Quark EPS files imported into Illustrator CS to turn them into line creates CMYK black no matter what I do - hopefully the upgrade to CS3 (sitting in a box on top of my new 24" iMac) will do the trick. If only Adobe would listen to the users and clean up the interface (you know - the ability to choose what the file is to be used for - print or web), the ability to use only PMS colours (not RGB), losing half the palettes off the screen which are really confusing because everyone seems to like sorting them in a different order, the abililty to export bezier designs to Illustrator(!!!!), the ability to pull apart PDF files (originally created in InDesign), I could go on but both programmes have their faults. They just approach the same end from different directions. The real reason Adobe have the market share is because the software is given away as a bundle making it about as cheap as a free toy with your junk food takeways!!!!! Any employer will of course always go for the cheap option.
InDesign vs QXP
I have to agree completely with the previous posts. I was a die-hard QXP user (I go back to QXP3, too, same as Mr. Ruis) but needed to learn ID for certain clients. I still use both, depending on what the original files were created with, as much of my work consists of updating older files. I don't bother switching QXP files to ID (even though Markzware has the software) because it really isn't necessary! When it's up to me, I am now comfortable enough with ID to start new projects with it rather than QXP. After getting over the problem of missing my old keyboard shortcuts from QXP, I actually have to say I am liking ID more and more each time I use it.
I have been working temp assignments through recruiters, and have found many employers now DON'T EVEN WANT YOU if you aren't an expert in ID CS3!! Fortunately, there are the occasional companies that still want an expert in QXP.
A few years ago, I taught my son (now 14) the basics of QXP. I am thinking it may be time to teach him ID.
Jan
InDesign or XPress? Hunh?
Aw, c'mon,
You need to ask who uses them both and how much? I have used XPress 3, 4, 6.5, and 7 for years and InDesign 2.0 for about an hour. I just haven't had the time or effort to learn it and the old rule of "the program you know is much more capable than the one you don't know" still applies.
It is not like there are a lot of people who are equally conversant with both programs. I am still learning how to use XPress and I have been using it for nine years!
Steve Ruis
InDesign or bust
We usually dictate to our clients the fact we design in InDesign. I am sure if we got a big enough contract we would do the work in Quark if demanded by the client.
Or does it depend on the situation?
I gotta admit that I use InDesign more, and so am more comfortable with it. But some of the freelancers I talk to say that they switch freely between the apps depending on the client or job requirements. How many does that apply to on CreativePro?
Terri Stone
Editor in Chief, CreativePro.com