Forget Windows versus Macs , red states versus blue states , and Red Sox versus Yankees ( yep , we ’re really jonesing for spring training ) . plain , thetrulydivisive dispute amongMacworldreaders is about page - layout applications . We run a news report in December’sMac Beatabout how QuarkXPress and Adobe ’s InDesign are battling for the hearts and minds of designer . That story brought in a rash of letters — indicate that the battle is far from over .
XPress versus InDesign
Charles FinlayI just stop read “ Publishing Dustup ” ( Mac Beat , December 2004 ) . I ’ve been using PageMaker since Aldus owned it . But if I had it to do all over again , I ’d buy QuarkXPress . By raise the price on PageMaker acclivity , Adobe is pushing PageMaker users to switch to InDesign .
Paul FindonInDesign group product managing director Will Eisley needs to take a long , operose smell in the mirror before he tout about how Adobe values its client . I ’ve used FrameMaker on the Mac almost every working sidereal day since 1991 . It ’s a fantastic applications programme , and nothing else can adjoin it . In 2001 , Adobe read it planned to indorse OS X in succeeding releases of its flagship product . Fast - forward to 2004 . Adobe says there ’ll be no version of FrameMaker for Mac OS X. What does Adobe suggest we do ? swap to Windows !
Bob ThomasJonathan Woolson ’s article ( “ Survive the Switch to InDesign”,Create ; December 2004 ) give me few if any rationality to make that switch . If Adobe wants me back as a customer ( I get going out on PageMaker 1.2 in 1985 and only reluctantly interchange to QuarkXPress year afterward ) , it ’ll have to do better than making me change my Quark 6.5 single file by salve them back to 4.11 data format ( in two whole tone ) or spending $ 199 for yet another program . That kind of grief I do n’t demand .
A Tangled Web
Larry GrossmanSaft may be everything Dori Smith tell it is ( “ Untangle the entanglement , ” December 2004 ) , but I may never find out : its demonstration is the exclusive most irritating program I ’ve ever try out . The incessant pop - up reminders to purchase the full interpretation led me to delete it the first time I sample it , before I could specify whether I wanted to bribe it . I still do n’t know whether the rave reviews will get me past the demo on my 2nd ( and last ) try .
Jim SkinnerYour clause on vane browser app was interesting , but it fail to note one thing : Mozilla ’s Firefox does n’t work at all with Yahoo Chat . It just cease completely . Did you try it with Yahoo Chat ?
We tested the browsers only with iChat . A quick on-line check uncovered many contend claim about Yahoo Chat ’s compatibility with OS X browsers.—Ed .
The Wrong Way Around
Brent MuscuttI wanted to route iTunes to my digital - out interface ( S / PDIF ) but institutionalize all other strait through my G5 ’s national speaker . When I read your reference of Rogue Amoeba ’s Detour inMac Gems (; December 2004 ) , I believe that the software seemed everlasting . But after instal it , I found that my only equipment pick was Built In Audio — making it impossible todetourthe sounds the way I want . When I contacted Rogue Amoeba , it said Detour ca n’t differentiate between the internal speaker system and the digital out . So I just scourge $ 12 .
You ’re correct : this is a limitation . We further readers to take advantage of complimentary evaluation period with all software . you may use Detour innocent for 30 days before you have to grease one’s palms it — plenty of time to notice out about such problems.—Ed .
Displays of Disaffection
David DeCristoforoApple ’s raw 23 - column inch Cinema Displays do n’t valuate up . The backlighting is uneven , discoloration around the edges make the screen seem dirty , and they have a strong magenta overtone . I ’m not the only one who has noticed these flaws : the Internet and Apple ’s own forums are full of reports from purchaser who see the same things . Nevertheless , Apple has remained frustratingly dumb on these consequence . That silence — for months since the introduction of these displays — has many of us feel unusually frustrated .
All-Access Keyboards
Jeremy M. CookExcellent pourboire on reach the Displays and Sound preference loony toons using option - F1 , selection - F3 , and so on ( Mac OSXHints ; December 2004 ) . However , you say there ’s no way to enter the Displays pane via a crosscut on a desktop Mac . That ’s dependable for system with Old keyboards that do n’t have the F13 to F15 key . On newer ones , however , F14 and F15 single-valued function as brightness keys ; the option - F14 and option - F15 combos open up the Displays pane .
Held Back by the Mac
Joseph M. CoatesRecently , I was show on the MTV WWW internet site aboutU2 ’s visit to New York . About halfway down the page , I saw links to video of the visit . But when I clicked on them , all I got was an mistake substance : “ WINDOWS MEDIA TEST Sorry , video is not supported for Macintosh computing machine at this time . ” Is n’t U2 an Apple partner ? Ca n’t Mr. Jobs cut a deal with MTV to practice QuickTime ?
Vernon J. McMillanI think AOL should add a disavowal stating that it wants to satisfy only its Windows microcomputer customers . For example , the troupe says it supply free antivirus software . But when I attempt to download it , all I have was this message : “ We ’re sorry , but we are ineffectual to download McAfee VirusScan Online brought to you by AOL at this prison term , because you are using a Macintosh / Apple computer . Currently , this software is offered to Windows / PC users only . ” I ’m sure that Mac user pay the same monthly fee as Windows PC users , but the Mac interpretation of AOL apparently has few features .
Does Steve Believe?
Jeremy KrallQuestion 17 in your Mac trivia quiz ( “ hand on Buzzers , ” Mac Beat , December 2004 ) was particularly informative . ( Question : Who say , “ If I were running Apple , I would milk the Macintosh for all it ’s deserving — and get busy on the next great thing . The microcomputer wars are over . Done . Microsoft won a prospicient time ago ” ? Answer : Steve Jobs in 1996 . ) It seems that Steve has been true to his word — he ’s milking OS X and pushing the iPod as far as he can . I think my next computing gadget will be a Windows machine .
Eye to the Future
David WeismanWhy am I register the December upshot in September ? Am I looking at future intelligence and innovations ? I read that postdating a publishing increases its shelf lifespan and marketability . But it also insults my intelligence service . We could solve this deceptive magazine publisher - dating organization by looking to the testicle carton . Why not simply publish “ Best if used by December 1 , 2004 ” on the cover ?
If you read the December subject in September , you did see into the hereafter : we impress that issue in mid - October . But your point is valid — referee have always dislike postdated magazines . There are many good business enterprise reasons for the practice , so publishers must hold out with the ailment . ( But thanks for the indicate fix.)—Ed .
Corrections
On pageboy 66 of our January 2005 issue ( “ Picture Your Perfect Camera ” ) , there is a word-painting of the Nikon F6 where a picture of the Nikon D70 should appear .
In the “ Half a twelve ‘ seedcase ” compare board ( Mac Beat , January 2005 ) , an wrong cost for the iPod U2 Special Edition was given . That iPod cost $ 349 .
In our review of Motion 1.0 (; January 2005 ) , we misreported the program ’s color support . move supports 8- and 10 - mo coloration .