Appendix C: Switching from QuarkXPress

Overview

Learning to use new software, or even learning to use an upgrade of a familiar application, can be so intimidating that many users resist passionately. Even if an application is woefully out-of-date and lacking in functionality, you cling to it knowing you can accomplish your mission ‚ even with workarounds ‚ with less frustration than the untried, but powerful, new application. Users are particularly passionate about their choice of page-layout software ‚ which is usually QuarkXPress ‚ probably because they're involved with it for 8 to 12 hours a day. (A QuarkXPress user once said he spent more time with QuarkXPress than with his wife, so you can see where the dedication is coming from.)

But times, circumstances, and jobs change. Eventually, your old software won't run on your zippy new machine or you switch jobs or you simply prefer another vendor. No matter what circumstances lead you to choosing InDesign, this appendix is designed to help you let go and move forward, showing you the differences between your old layout application and InDesign, and pointing out a few benefits of InDesign as well. InDesign lets you open documents from both QuarkXPress and PageMaker so you can continue working with existing designs, and you can apply much of your page-layout knowledge to InDesign.