Help me upgrade from PageMaker to InDesign!

August 4, 2011 9:02 AM

Least painful way to transition from PageMaker 6.5 to InDesign?

I've been using PageMaker for years but my printer suggests it's time to move on to InDesign. Fine, OK, but I don't feel I've the time or inclination for what I perceive will be a steep learning curve.

Has anyone else done this and if so, how did you manage? It's been suggested to me that I make a "baby jump" to CS2.0 rather than attempting to go straight to the most recent release. Any tips would be much appreciated.

posted by braemar to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

I would suggest watching someone work. If at all possible. For me, the first steps in learning this type of application is always about getting my bearings. Watching someone work is the best way to do that.

Failing that, there could be some video tutorials, e.g. on Youtube. Something for free.

Then check the paid-for video tutorials. Advanced-type tutorials would probably speak to you more than absolute beginners tutorials.

Then the Real World [X] series have been very good for me. Most of these are written for people doing a job, and are suitably aggressive and in-depth while being well written enough to keep the reader from sinking into jargon.

InDesign is quite logical and self-consistent, and is IMO the single most built-on-solid-foundations Adobe program today, and is built as a professional tool. I don't actually think the learning curve will be that steep, after the first threshold. Coming from PageMaker you essentially only have to relearn the positions of a few levers, and filter out some information.
posted by krilli at 9:13 AM on August 4, 2011

Book: Real World InDesign CS5 by Olav Martin Kvern. Buy this book. Mr. Kvern is one of the finest teachers inside the desktop publishing world and outside it.

And I'd go directly to CS5 or whatever the latest is. IMO InDesign's development has been less bells-and-whistley than Photoshop for instance; Each successive InDesign CS version update has been more compatible and well-rounded and stable.
posted by krilli at 9:16 AM on August 4, 2011

It doesn't sound like you want to make this change. That's a big aspect to making these sort of adjustments and I found that if you really want to do, you'll be more motivated and willing to deal with the changes. I was so done with Quark, I adjusted to ID very easily.

So my first question is to you really want to do this and do you really have to? If Pagemaker is serving you fine, that I'd stick with it. You're a customer, so the printer should be adjusting to you. Is there a particular reason he wants you to change?

Secondly, what do you use Pagemaker for?

Thirdly, how comfortable are you with technology and computers?

I used Pagemaker a lot and have a soft spot for it, so if you have questions, feel free to hit me up by Memail.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:17 AM on August 4, 2011

PageMaker 6.5?! Wow.

I'd go straight to CS5. The learning curve won't be as bad as you think.
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:19 AM on August 4, 2011

If you are even moderately skilled in PageMaker, I can't see how you would have too much trouble adjusting to InDesign. At its core you can use it exactly the same way, just drawing boxes and putting text in them—it's just that InDesign offers some reeeeallllly advanced niceties & shortcuts that will aid you as you become a power user.

I highly recommend The InDesigner video podcast...I can't even begin to tell you how many tips and tricks I've picked up from his podcasts, and everything he shows you is about real-world usability (no "MAKE THE PAGE LOOK LIKE IT'S ON FIRE!!!1!" junk).
posted by bcwinters at 9:22 AM on August 4, 2011

You're a customer, so the printer should be adjusting to you.

The last version of PageMaker, 7.0, came out 10 years ago. The last Macs that can run it are 5 years old. The printer is right to say that it's time to move on.
posted by zsazsa at 9:31 AM on August 4, 2011 [2 favorites]

You might also want to investigate the free alternatives to both of these. Scribus is pretty good already and still under active development.
posted by flabdablet at 9:42 AM on August 4, 2011

You just blew my mind. I thought my employer was behind the times when I finally got them to jettison Quark 7 for CS5. Anyway, I'm self taught at InDesign, and I found the Lynda.com tutorials quite helpful for filling in gaps in my knowledge.
posted by dortmunder at 9:44 AM on August 4, 2011

The last version of PageMaker, 7.0, came out 10 years ago. The last Macs that can run it are 5 years old. The printer is right to say that it's time to move on.

I hear ya, but that isn't necessarily so, we don't know the details (hence my questions). If the customer is supplying PDFs then it shouldn't matter what tool they're using. If the customer is supplying raw files with embedded links I can see how that would be a problem for the printer.

It all depends on the specifics.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:50 AM on August 4, 2011

For what it's worth, the high-school literary magazine that I edited uses inDesign, and most of our staff hadn't seen it all before we started production. They all picked it up pretty quickly, so you will probably be fine!
posted by kylej at 9:53 AM on August 4, 2011

Response by poster: You just blew my mind.

Oh yeah? And how about if I told you that my copy of PM6.5 was purchased at a clearance sale for $5 in Bankgok in the early noughties??? ;o)

Thanks for all the responses. I use PM for newsletters, magazine layouts and some ads, but it's not playing nicely with some of the graphics I've imported on my last few projects, and getting my PDFs right have required some fidgeting, hence the printer's recommendation.

If I hear correctly, I just need to bite the bullet, upgrade to the 21st century and learn to use InDesign... much like I did with PageMaker. Thanks to everyone for the links to the various tutorials!
posted by braemar at 12:15 PM on August 4, 2011