
             WHAT TO BUY
  A desktop publishing program lets you combine words and 
graphics to create newspapers, newsletters, posters, and other 
visually-oriented ads and publications.

              Pagemaker
  The first fancy desktop publishing program was Pagemaker. It 
lets you create headlines, columns of text, and graphics on the 
screen easily, and move them by using a mouse.
  Pagemaker was originally on the Mac but is now available for 
Windows also. Version 5 of Pagemaker is quite new and quite 
expensive: discount dealers sell it for $579.

       Pagemaker's competitors
  Quark XPress and Ventura Publisher handle multi-page documents 
and fancy typesetting better than Pagemaker, but they're harder 
to learn how to use and they're not as convenient for handling 
graphics.
  They often require you to type numbers of inches instead of 
using a mouse. Typing numbers is more precise than using a mouse 
(especially if your hands are jittery), but using a mouse is more 
fun!
  Pagemaker is better for beginners and for laying out one-page 
advertisements. Quark XPress and Ventura Publisher are better for 
professionals and for laying out long manuscripts.
  Quark XPress was originally on the Mac but is now available for 
Windows also. Discount dealers sell the Mac version for $549, the 
Windows version for $596.
  Ventura Publisher is available in MS-DOS and Windows versions. 
Discount dealers sell each for $469.

  Desktop publish or word process?
  The dividing line between ``word processing'' and ``desktop 
publishing'' is blurry.
  Fancy word processors, such as Word Perfect and Microsoft Word, 
let you create multiple columns, but can't handle headlines or 
graphics well. Fancy desktop publishers, such as Aldus Pagemaker 
and Ventura Publisher, let you create text and edit it, but they 
lack advanced editing features, and they run too slowly to keep 
up with a fast typist.
  To create a newsletter quickly, create the text by using a 
full-featured word processor, create the graphics by using a 
full-featured graphics program, and then rearrange the text and 
graphics into headlined columns by using a desktop-publishing 
program.
  Desktop publishing programs are harder to understand than word 
processors. Too often, beginners wind up with messed-up documents 
from those programs, which are nicknamed ``Pagewrecker'', ``Quirk 
Distress'', and ``Vulgar Publisher''.
                                                    Compromise
                                         Recently, some 
compromise products have been invented, such as Ami Pro. It runs 
on the IBM PC and is halfway between being a word processor and a 
desktop-publishing program.

                                                 Cheap publishing
                                         To pay less for desktop 
publishing, get First Publisher or Publish It.
                                         Which of those two is 
better? First Publisher comes with more fonts; Publish It 
understands more commands, especially for graphics.
                                         First Publisher runs on 
MS-DOS and costs $99 from discount dealers. Publish It is 
available from discount dealers for the Apple 2 ($74), MS-DOS 
($105), and Mac ($223); the Mac version is the fanciest.

                                                    Kiddie pub
                                         Kids use a simplified 
form of desktop publishing, called kiddie pub.
                                         The most popular kiddie 
pub programs are The Print Shop (which prints posters and 
greeting cards), Certificate Maker (which prints awards), 
Kidwriter (which creates electronic story books with captioned 
pictures), and The Newsroom (which creates a 2-column page with a 
headline on top and graphics). They run on most computers and 
typically cost under $50.
                                         Let's take a closer look 
at The Print Shop and Certificate Maker. . . . 

             PRINT SHOP
  To create big signs and greeting cards easily, get The Print 
Shop, invented by David Balsam & Martin Kahn.
  It's published by Broderbund, which has sold over 500,000 
copies. It's the most popular graphics program ever created for 
the Apple 2e & 2c. Now it's available for all the other popular 
computers also, such as the Mac, MS-DOS, Windows, the Commodore 
64, and the Atari 800.
  MS-DOS versions Several MS-DOS versions have been invented.
  The first was called simply The Print Shop. Then came a modest 
improvement called The New Print Shop. Those versions run on 
practically any computer.
  Later came a dramatically fancier version called The Print Shop 
Deluxe. Unfortunately, it requires a VGA monitor and a 386 or 486 
CPU. Discount dealers sell it for $50.
  Here's how to use the first MS-DOS version. (The later versions 
are fancier.)

               Boot up
  To start using the first MS-DOS version, turn on the computer 
and get an A prompt on the screen. Then put The Print Shop disk 
into drive A, and type PS.

              Main menu
  The computer will show you the main menu:
MAIN MENU

GREETING CARD
SIGN
LETTERHEAD
BANNER
SCREEN MAGIC
GRAPHIC EDITOR
SETUP
EXIT PRINT SHOP
  To choose an item from the menu, point at the item (by using 
the up-arrow and down-arrow keys), and then press ENTER.

                SETUP
  The first time you use The Print Shop, choose SETUP from the 
menu. The computer will ask which printer, screen, and disk 
drives you bought, then return you to the main menu.
                                                       SIGN
                                         To create a sign, choose 
SIGN from the main menu. The computer will let you create a sign 
having words and a picture in the middle, and a fancy border 
around the edge.
                                         The computer begins by 
asking which kind of border you want. You have 17 choices: a thin 
line, thick line, double line, stars, beads, hearts, flowers, 
lace, lattice, wicker, woven, spirals, seashells, musical notes, 
candy canes, umbrellas, or none.
                                         Then the computer asks 
which picture you want in the middle of the sign, and gives you 
140 choices. . . . 
Festivities: Halloween pumpkin, Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas 
tree, Christmas wreath, Hanukkah menorah, birthday cake, stork 
carrying baby, gift box, gift wrapping

Pleasures: heart, cupid, rose, dancing, top hat, musical notes, 
bells, piano, trumpet, drum

Refreshments: ice cream, ice-cold drink, coffee, tea, champagne, 
bartender

Animals: grinning dog, poodle, crouching cat, erect cat, bunny, 
turtle, teddy bear, parrot, dove, bird house, penguin in tuxedo, 
cuddly penguin, butterfly, lion, tiger, rhino, unicorn, shark, 
pig

Pointers: left arrow, right arrow, finger pointing left, finger 
pointing right, thumbs up, thumbs down

Money: piggy bank, money bag, safe, cash register, hands passing 
money, demanding money, Master Card, Visa

Transportation: antique car, taxi, chauffeur, reserved for 
handicapped, train, sailboat, rocket, baggage, woman walking

Communication: phone, mailman, express mail, reader, eyes, eye 
chart, pen & paper, pen & ink, artist, typesetter, confidential 
file

Thought: teacher, student, graduation, certificate, scales of 
justice, gavel, ballot box, solar energy, desk piled with work

Other: boss, meeting, alarm clock, house, yard sale, family, 
mother & child, lifting weights, skiing, warm-up exercise, tired 
feet, skull, candlestick, light bulb, sunshine, outer space, 
yin-yang, life buoy, flower, good-luck horseshoe, shoes, iron, 
running faucet, robot, computer, floppy disk, Charlie Chaplin, 
white flag, lock, closed, question mark, string wrapped around 
finger, block saying "A", 20 patterns
                                         After you choose one of 
those clip-art pictures, the computer asks how large to make it. 
If you choose a small size, the computer asks whether you want 
the picture repeated, to create a wallpaper or tile pattern.
                                         Next, you choose one of 
12 type styles. Then start typing the words you want to put on 
the sign. To make extra-large characters, press the F7 key; to 
make extra-fancy characters, press the F9 key. The computer will 
automatically center your message vertically and horizontally, 
unless you say otherwise.
                                         Finally, the computer 
asks where you'd like the sign to appear. You have four choices: 
your paper, your screen, your disk, or your T-shirt. If you 
choose T-shirt, the printer will print the entire sign backwards 
onto paper, so that when you iron it onto your T-shirt the 
writing will appear correct. The computer also gives you a chance 
to request multiple copies.
                                         After the computer 
prints, the computer gives you the opportunity to create more 
copies or return to the main menu.

                                                      BANNER
                                         From the main menu, if 
you choose BANNER (instead of SIGN), the computer will let you 
produce a banner as long as you wish. You can even make it long 
enough to cover the entire length of your hallway! Each letter on 
the banner will be huge ___ about six inches high ___ so that you 
can read the banner from far away. Your printer will print the 
entire banner sideways, on tractor-feed paper: when you take the 
banner out of the printer, turn the banner 90 counterclockwise, 
so you can read it.
   Other menu choices
  LETTERHEAD makes the computer print your name & address & 
graphics at the top or bottom of your stationery. GREETING CARD 
makes the computer produce a greeting card with your own front 
cover, inside message, and credit line on the back (instead of 
saying ``by Hallmark''). SCREEN MAGIC makes the computer create a 
sign based on a kaleidoscope instead of clip art. GRAPHIC EDITOR 
lets you create your own clip art, by using a joystick or the 
arrow keys. EXIT PRINT SHOP returns you to DOS.

         Add-ons
  After you buy The Print Shop, you'll also want to buy the 
Graphics Library (which includes extra clip art) and The Print 
Shop Companion (which includes extra borders, type styles, and 
graphics-editor commands).

                CERTIFICATE MAKER
                             To print certificates, get 
Certificate Maker, published by Springboard Software. The version 
for the Apple 2e & 2c lists for $49.95; the version for the IBM 
PC lists for $59.95.

                                              220 choices
                             Certificate Maker creates 220 kinds 
of certificates:
Love: certificate of love, sweetheart award, best kisser award

Drinking: wine taster's certificates, wine connoisseur's 
certificate, beer connoisseur's license

Pleasures: photographer's award, best vacation pictures award, 
globetrotter's certificate, party animal

Personal strengths: cheerfulness award, citizenship award, 
community service award, award for quitting smoking, nicest 
smile, outstanding attitude, coolness under pressure

Personal weaknesses: sweet tooth certificate, award for painting 
yourself into a corner, out on a limb, PIGSTY award (others for 
bad haircut, big mouth, foot in mouth, back seat driver, Mr. 
Know-It-All, Ms. Know-It-All, couch potato, "sticking to your 
guns", and worst joke)

Good work: certificate of promotion, efficiency award, hardest 
worker award, troubleshooter's certificate, job well done, 
outstanding in your field, master certificate maker, best boss 
award (2 versions), best secretary award (2 versions), employee 
of the WEEK (others for month and year)

Non-work: procrastinator's award, clock watching award, most 
coffee breaks award, company clown, infecting co-workers

Flops: Murphy's law degree, quack license, horrible mention, 
wanted, LEMON award (others for dead carp, can of worms, rude 
awakening, and thanks for nothing)

Family: certificate of wedded bliss, happy birthday certificate, 
adoption certificate, award for eating all of your yucky 
vegetables, greatest backyard chef, in the doghouse, best friends 
certificate (6 versions), DOG owner's license (others for cat and 
bird), ANNIVERSARY award (others for best mom, best dad, good 
girl, good boy, bad girl, bad boy, clean teeth, clean room, 
gourmet chef, and newborn baby)

School: certified idiot, class clown, diploma (3 versions), 
MATHEMATICS award (others for reading, writing, and computer 
whiz-kid), computer operator's license, certificate of SCHOLASTIC 
ACHIEVEMENT (others for geography skills, mathematics skills, and 
graduation), certificate of READING proficiency (others for 
writing, spelling, art, music, science, history, social studies, 
and physical education)

Sports: teamwork award, poor sportsmanship award, world's 
greatest athlete, world's worst athlete, most valuable player, 
least valuable player, most valuable member, marksmanship award, 
fishing award, skiing award, gymnastics award (4 versions), 
GOLFING award (others for bowling, swimming, baseball, 
basketball, football, soccer, hockey, tennis, racquetball, and 
track & field, 3 versions of each)

General: driver's license, the widest thinnest tallest smallest 
award, honorable mention, congratulations, best suggestion, thank 
you, what will I be when I grow up?, most likely to . . . , award 
for FIRST PLACE (others for second place, third place, and best 
idea), certificate of MERIT (others for achievement, excellence, 
appreciation, recognition, attendance, membership, participation, 
completion, improvement, proficiency, and performance), license 
(3 general versions), certificate of . . .  (3 general versions), 
award for . . .  (2 general versions), award (3 general 
versions), also 16 general religious awards, 11 general awards 
for children, and 4 totally general awards
                             Most of those certificates include 
funny drawings. For example, the certificate that says 
``Outstanding in Your Field'' includes a picture of the person in 
a field of grass, all alone.

                                     Customizing the certificates
                             Below the certificate's title and 
drawing, you can write your own detailed text (using 5 type 
styles), followed by the date and your signature. The program 
even comes with some gold seals to stick on.
                             You have 24 choices for the 
certificate's border. To make the border look impressive (like 
money), try getting a ribbon that has green ink, or put green 
toner into your photocopying machine.
                             The program includes a database 
feature, so you can type a list of all your friends and send them 
all personalized certificates.