Re: Marking a design for a cut out.
There are 3 reasons I can say:
1. Fonts, kerning and tracking issues along with editing in 8. OSX has different font handling so if part of the job is OS9, then all of it should be 9. Classic does not correctly do this since it is good emulation (but not for font handling!) and fonts vary wildly. My experience has shown that I get at least half the problems going back to 9 with all versions than I do dragging the old stuff forward, especially on reprint work that must match previous work exactly. If you want to spend hours checking, help yourself, I can't afford it and have been burned many times while trying!
2. I have seen very bad problems with native trapped files opened in different versions. I have seen tiff trap (application level; in 8 and earlier you would place another tiff of the same image with a positive offset path below a spot color set to overprint, then the original tiff above using the original sized path since you could not tell a multi-colored tiff to overprint = same as CT spread) screwed up big time when handled in CS or later (CS2 auto sets the second tif and without warning to multiply thinking you placed it there for that reason and spoils the job and I'll bet anyone in the world they would not catch this the first time = dark pictures!). You might be forced to do this with an old 8 file and a new version file as a combination print. Careful!
3. If you must use Quark as a layout template, then eps is required from ai. Q8 will accept native ai I am told so this prob may go away. Since we use Quark libraries and have thousands of files, we would never use Indd unless forced to. However, some of our received separated pdf's (from 'Backstage' I think), B&W of course still house the michevious transparency and certain blends and vector graphics within the pdf often will turn to a flat tint when placed in Q4, 5, 6, 7 and ripped (HqRip). So we build with the Q library, then open the same file in Indd CS2 and send to the Rip - that works providing the Q file is vers 4! Doesn't work from six or seven. Buggers! So, way too risky with Classic IMHO.
John W