Do I need Indesign?

[bcr]

Hi folks,

We're considering getting a perfect binder soon, as an alternative to comb binding.

There will be some work involved in creating covers and spines, with spine text, and layout etc of the correct spine width, plus glue traps etc.

I've never done any of this before, so am a total newbie. Covers are likely to be simple text plus possibly a corporate logo (think internal reports rather than external publications - those all go through an external designer).

We're getting Ricoh Total Flow Prep for imposition etc. But I'm wondering what the best solution would be for creating the covers? Also we might use it to produce business cards (just changing staff names/titles on an existing design).

Thoughts welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[Schnicklefritz]

Well, you can subscribe to InDesign from Adobe for $21/month on the Cloud. InDesign will give you abilities to do much more than create simple book covers and you'll be able to open and edit customer files. But in your case you might opt to buy Microsoft Word 365 ($70), MS Publisher ($90) or Affinity Publisher ($50). I'd go with Affinity, since you get similar tools as InDesign and once you buy and install it, you own it.

 

[Puch]

For that kind of work the free Pages application might be sufficient - if you're on a Mac.

 

[printing4me]

Personally, if I were in your boat I would be subscribed to Adobe for the suite along with the stock image subscription.

 

[Zerge]

INDD is just a tool. Very powerful and very expensive.
Its only for you to decide what exactly do you want to use (and pay for it) — Adobe software, Corel (hmm..), Scribus (freeware, someone uses).

 

[Ynot_UK]

Adobe CC is the only cloud subscription package we subscribe to, because it is essential to the job. Had we been a year earlier, we would have bought CS6, which would still do everything we ever need (plus tons more) and would be saving money.

<digression>
For this reason, we absolutely refuse to "upgrade" to Cloud based accounting software. The old Sage package we bought in 2014 cost around £1,500 and still does all we need. If we moved to Cloud accounting software we would get no more sales and make no more profit. The old Sage package we have costs less than £6 per month on the P&L in depreciation. A Cloud subsciption for multi-user, multi-company (what we currently have with Sage) would cost £200 per month.
</digression>

 

[OffsetStorefront]

<digression>
For this reason, we absolutely refuse to "upgrade" to Cloud based accounting software. The old Sage package we bought in 2014 cost around £1,500 and still does all we need. If we moved to Cloud accounting software we would get no more sales and make no more profit. The old Sage package we have costs less than £6 per month on the P&L in depreciation. A Cloud subsciption for multi-user, multi-company (what we currently have with Sage) would cost £200 per month.
</digression>

One could argue a cloud version gives you 24/7 access from any internet connection and protects you from a catastrophe befalling the desktop running your software. Make sure you have regular, usable, up-to-date off-site backups of it somewhere =)

 

[Ynot_UK]

One could argue a cloud version gives you 24/7 access from any internet connection and protects you from a catastrophe befalling the desktop running your software. Make sure you have regular, usable, up-to-date off-site backups of it somewhere =)

With Adobe CC, I imagine most users' data files are stored on their local server (or PC), not in the cloud. Of course there is the option to host them on Skydrive or similar.