Introduction to Desktop Publishing

Course Title: Introduction to Desktop Publishing

Course No: PG 514

Course Content:

General Objective:

To expose students to role of computers in publishing and basic manipulative

skills.

 Introduction to types of computers

 Uses and parts of computers emphasizing the functions

 Main components of computers (Hardware and software)

 Input devices keyboard

 Output devices Printers, VDU

 Computer software

 Impact of computer in the development of mass media

 Practical (Emphasis on page maker).

LECTURER:
OGENYI OGABA SUNDAY
07065936774

1
DEFINITIONS

A computer is a machine or device that performs processes, calculations and operations based on
instructions provided by a software or hardware program. It has the ability to accept data (input),
process it, and then produce outputs.

Computers can also store data for later uses in appropriate storage devices, and retrieve
whenever it is necessary.

Modern computers are electronic devices used for a variety of purposes ranging from browsing
the web, writing documents, editing videos, creating applications, playing video games, etc.

They are designed to execute applications and provide a variety of solutions by combining
integrated hardware and software components

According to Dictionary.com Computer is a programmable electronic device designed to accept

data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the
results of these operations. Mainframes, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones
are some of the different types of computers

Simply put by Mariam-Webster Dictionary; A computer is a programmable usually electronic

device that can store, retrieve, and process data.

CAPABILITIES OF COMPUTER SYSTEM

Capabilities of a computer system are the qualities of the computer that put it in a positive light
and make the user experience more efficient
Speed
Speed means the duration computer system requires in fulfilling a task or completing an activity.
It is well-known that computers need very little time than humans in completing a task.
Generally, humans take into account a second or minute as a unit of time.
Nevertheless, computer systems have such fast operation capacity that the unit of time is in
fractions of a second. Today, computers are capable of doing 100 million calculations per second
and that is why the industry has developed Million Instructions per Second (MIPS) as the
criterion to classify different computers according to speed.
Accuracy
Accuracy means the level of precision with which calculations are made and tasks are
performed. One may invest years of his life in detecting errors in computer calculations or
updating a wrong record. A large part of mistakes in Computer Based Information System(CBIS)

2
occurs due to bad programming, erroneous data, and deviation from rules. Humans cause these
mistakes.
Errors attributable to hardware are generally distinguished and corrected by the computer system
itself. The computers rarely commit errors and do all types of tasks precisely.
Reliability
Reliability is the quality due to which the user can stay dependable on the computer. Computers
systems are well-adjusted to do repetitive tasks. They never get tired, bored or fatigued. Hence,
they are a lot reliable than humans. Still, there can be failures of a computer system due to
internal and external reasons.
Any failure of the computer in a highly automated industry is disastrous. Hence, the industry in
such situations has a backup facility to take over tasks without losing much of the time.
Adaptability
Adaptability of computer system means the quality of it to complete a different type of tasks:
simple as well as complex. Computers are normally versatile unless designed for a specific
operation. Overall, a daily purpose computer is used in any area of application: business,
industry, scientific, statistical, technological and so on
A general purpose computer, when introduced in a company, can replace the jobs of multiple
specialists due to its flexibility. A computer system can replace the functions of all these
specialists because of being very versatile.
Storage
Storage is the ability of the computer to store data in itself for accessing it again in future.
Nowadays, apart from having instantaneous access to data, computers have a huge ability to
store data in a little physical space.
A general computer system has a capacity of storing and providing online millions of characters
and thousands of pictures. It is obvious from the above discussion that computer capabilities
outperform the human capabilities. Therefore, a computer, when used rightfully, will tenfold the
effectiveness of an organization.

LIMITATIONS OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Limitations are the drawbacks of the computer system in which humans outperform them.
Lack of common-sense
This is one of the major limitations of computer systems. No matter how efficient, fast and
reliable computer systems might be but yet do not have any common sense because no full-proof
algorithm has been designed to programme logic into them. As computers function based on the
stored programme(s), they simply lack common sense.

3
Zero IQ
Another of the limitations of computer systems is that they have zero Intelligence Quotient (IQ).
They are unable to see and think the actions to perform in a particular situation unless that
situation is already programmed into them. Computers are programmable to complete each and
every task, however small it may be.
Lack of Decision-making
Decision-making is a complicated process involving information, knowledge, intelligence,
wisdom, and ability to judge. The computer system does not have the ability to make decisions
on their own because they do not possess all the essentials of decision-making.
They can be programmed to take such decisions, which are purely procedure-oriented. If a
computer has not been programmed for a particular decision situation, it will not take a decision
due to lack of wisdom and evaluation faculties. Human beings, on the other hand, possess this
great power of decision-making.

DESKTOP PUBLISHING (DTP)

Desktop Publishing (DTP) is the creation of electronic forms of information such as documents,
presentations, brochures, books, or even website content using computer programs. DTP has
evolved to be an important component of creating and disseminating information as it allows an
amalgamation of various tasks that are generally performed independently at printing presses
such as layouts, typesetting, graphic design, etc.

Desktop publishing often requires the use of a personal computer and WYSIWYG (What You
See Is What You Get) page layout software to create documents for either large-scale
publishing or small-scale local multifunction peripheral output and distribution – although a non-
WYSIWYG system such as LaTeX could also be used for the creation of highly structured and
technically demanding documents as well. Desktop publishing methods provide more control
over design, layout, and typography than word processing. However, word processing software
has evolved to include most, if not all, capabilities previously available only with professional
printing or desktop publishing.

The same DTP skills and software used for common paper and book publishing are sometimes
used to create graphics for point of sale displays, presentations, infographics, brochures, business
cards, promotional items, trade show exhibits, retail package designs and outdoor signs.
Although what is classified as "DTP software" is usually limited to print and PDF publications,
DTP isn't limited to print. The content produced by desktop publishers may also be exported and
used for electronic media. The job descriptions that include "DTP," such as DTP artist, often
require skills using software for producing e-books, web content, and web pages, which may
involve web design or user interface design for any graphical user interface

4
HISTORY OF DESKTOP PUBLISHING

Desktop publishing was first developed at Xerox PARC in the 1970s. A contradictory claim
states that desktop publishing began in 1983 with a program developed by James Davise at a
community newspaper in Philadelphia. The program Type Processor One ran on a PC using a
graphics card for a WYSIWYG display and was offered commercially by Best info in 1984.
(Desktop typesetting with only limited page makeup facilities had arrived in 1978–1979 with the
introduction of TeX, and was extended in 1985 with the introduction of LaTeX.)

The Macintosh computer platform was introduced by Apple with much fanfare in 1984, but at
the beginning, the Mac initially lacked DTP capabilities. The desktop publishing market took off
in 1985 with the introduction in January of the Apple LaserWriter printer. This momentum was
kept up by with the addition of PageMaker software from Aldus, which rapidly became the
standard software application for desktop publishing. With its advanced layout features,
PageMaker immediately relegated word processors like Microsoft Word to the composition and
editing of purely textual documents. The term "desktop publishing" is attributed to Aldus
founder Paul Brainerd, who sought a marketing catchphrase to describe the small size and
relative affordability of this suite of products, in contrast to the expensive commercial
phototypesetting equipment of the day.

Before the advent of desktop publishing, the only option available to most people for producing
typed documents (as opposed to handwritten documents) was a typewriter, which offered only a
handful of typefaces (usually fixed-width) and one or two font sizes. Indeed, one popular desktop
publishing book was entitled The Mac is Not a Typewriter, and it had to actually explain how a
Mac could do so much more than a typewriter. The ability to create WYSIWYG page layouts on
screen and then print pages containing text and graphical elements at crisp 300 dpi resolution
was revolutionary for both the typesetting industry and the personal computer industry at the
time; newspapers and other print publications made the move to DTP-based programs from older
layout systems such as Atex and other programs in the early 1980s.

Desktop publishing was still in its embryonic stage in the early 1980s. Users of the PageMaker-
LaserWriter-Macintosh 512K system endured frequent software crashes, cramped display on the
Mac's tiny 512 x 342 1-bit monochrome screen, the inability to control letter-spacing, kerning,
and other typographic features, and the discrepancies between screen display and printed output.
However, it was a revolutionary combination at the time, and was received with considerable
acclaim.

Behind-the-scenes technologies developed by Adobe Systems set the foundation for professional
desktop publishing applications. The LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus printers included high
quality, scalable Adobe PostScript fonts built into their ROM memory. The LaserWriter's
PostScript capability allowed publication designers to proof files on a local printer, then print the
same file at DTP service bureaus using optical resolution 600+ ppi PostScript printers such as
those from Linotronic.

5
Later, the Macintosh II was released, which was considerably more suitable for desktop
publishing due to its greater expandability, support for large color multi-monitor displays, and its
SCSI storage interface (which allowed fast high-capacity hard drives to be attached to the
system). Macintosh-based systems continued to dominate the market into 1986, when the GEM-
based Ventura Publisher was introduced for MS-DOS computers. PageMaker's pasteboard
metaphor closely simulated the process of creating layouts manually, but Ventura Publisher
automated the layout process through its use of tags and style sheets and automatically generated
indices and other body matter. This made it particularly suitable for the creation manuals and
other long-format documents.

Desktop publishing moved into the home market in 1986 with Professional Page for the Amiga,
Publishing Partner (now Page Stream) for the Atari ST, GST's Timeworks Publisher on the PC
and Atari ST, and Calamus for the Atari TT030. Software was published even for 8-bit
computers like the Apple II and Commodore 64: Home Publisher, The Newsroom, and geo
Publish. During its early years, desktop publishing acquired a bad reputation as a result of
untrained users who created poorly organized, unprofessional-looking "ransom note effect"
layouts; similar criticism was leveled again against early World Wide Web publishers a decade
later. However, some desktop publishers who mastered the programs were able to achieve highly
professional results. Desktop publishing skills were considered of primary importance in career
advancement in the 1980s, but increased accessibility to more user-friendly DTP software has
made DTP a secondary skill to art direction, graphic design, multimedia development, marketing
communications, and administrative careers. DTP skill levels range from what may be learned in
a couple of hours (e.g., learning how to put clip art in a word processor), to what's typically
required in a college education. The discipline of DTP skills range from technical skills such as
prepress production and programming, to creative skills such as communication design and
graphic image development.

As of 2014, Apple computers remain dominant in publishing, even as the most popular software
has changed from QuarkXPress – an estimated 95% market share in the 1990s — to Adobe
InDesign.

Evolution of DTP Software

Earlier, DTP was specifically meant to cater to printed matter but modern DTP allows for even
more forms of electronic content. A modern DTP software can be your word processor, graphic
design tool and publishing tool, all rolled into one package. With the explosive growth of
smartphones and mobile PCs, the way people consume information has changed dramatically
over the last decade. Modern DTP software enables content output that caters dynamically to all
screen sizes, without the need to republish the same for each device or form factor.
Types of DTP Content
The content created by DTP software can be broadly classified into two categories −
 Electronic Pages
 Virtual Pages

6
Electronic pages commonly refer to websites, manuals, eBooks, digital archives, presentations,
etc. which are normally not printed but are shared digitally. This tutorial is an example of an
electronic page which can be opened in a browser.
Virtual pages on the other hand are electronic pages created in the DTP software which are
eventually published as printed pages. Virtual pages allow the author to visualize exactly how
the printed page will look and can help in easy editing. The process is called WYSIWYG which
stands for, ‘What You See Is What You Get’. This means all the changes and formatting that
are made will be exactly replicated in print.
DTP software comes in all shapes and sizes. There is software to cater to every need right from
free software to professional grade subscription based software. Although InDesign has now
taken over the DTP market, in this section, we will take a look at some of the popular DTP
software other than InDesign that are also quite popular with the publishers.
Adobe PageMaker
PageMaker was first originally developed by Aldus and was later acquired by Adobe in the 90s.
PageMaker is one of the most popular DTP software even today but its development has been
stopped after version 7 although it is still being marketed to a select set of users. PageMaker’s
features are now integrated with InDesign; which Adobe actively promotes.
PageMaker has tools for almost all DTP applications except book publishing. It can import files
from PDFs, HTML, and convert QuarkXpress and Microsoft Publisher formats. It has support
for plugins and runs on both Mac and Windows.

7
Note: See practical manual for more on PageMaker

QuarkXpress
QuarkXpress was the de facto publishing standard before the advent of InDesign. It is still under
active development on both Mac and Windows and the latest version is more or less feature
similar to InDesign.
QuarkXpress supports converting Illustrator, PDF, EPS or even InDesign files into native
QuarkXpress objects and runs on a perpetual license instead of a subscription model. The latest
update also includes the ability to export HTML5 interactive publications. It also supports
plugins called, XTensions for additional capabilities.

8
Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Publisher is part of the Office 365 suite and is distributed as a standalone application.
It is extremely simple to create flyers, brochures or cover art with this program as the interface is
similar to other Office programs such as Word or Excel. It is more of an entry level software
targeted at home and small businesses and does not directly compete with QuarkXpress or
InDesign.
Microsoft Publisher is very easy to use and supports professional effects for text and pictures
along with the ability to natively import albums from Facebook, Flickr, and other cloud services.

9
Serif PagePlus
PagePlus has now become a legacy software with the reins passing on to Affinity Publisher,
which is yet to be released. However, Serif PagePlus continues to be a delight to anyone who is
at an intermediate level with respect to DTP.
It is a step up from Microsoft Publisher and supports the CMYK color space, which is commonly
used by printers and also OpenType fonts. It also has advanced features such as font kerning and
dynamic text flow along with a host of templates on the Serif website. An icing on the cake is the
presence of an integrated photo editor called PhotoLab, which gives easy access to picture
correction tools. The latest version also supports creation of PDF files and eBooks suitable for
Amazon Kindle. There’s also a free Starter Edition available if you want to try out the software.

10
Adobe InDesign is the industry leading DTP software for designing and layout of professional
documents for the web, print, as well as for mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones.
InDesign has evolved from being a successor to PageMaker in version 1.0 to becoming a
powerhouse software, which can seamlessly work with other Adobe Creative Suite applications
such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator in the Creative Cloud suite.
The workflow in InDesign also comprises of word processing, which is usually done in a
standalone word processing program such as Microsoft Word, although InDesign is also a
capable word processor in itself. However, a lot of Microsoft Word styles are not carried into
InDesign when the users switch between these programs. Adobe released a complimentary word
processing program to InDesign called InCopy, which can read and export the various text
formatting styles that InDesign uses.
InDesign uses the .indd file format for storing InDesign content. Newer versions have backward
compatibility with files created in older versions of the program. Newer versions can save the
InDesign document as a .idml file, which can be read by versions till CS4. For even more
backward compatibility, the newer version can also export in the .inx format.
InDesign can either be purchased individually or as a part of the Creative Suite under a Creative
Cloud subscription. The subscription enables the user to receive ongoing product updates
without purchasing new versions every time a major version number update is released.

11
Computer
A computer is an electronic machine that accepts data, stores and processes data into
information. The computer is able to work because there are instructions in its memory directing
it.
The parts of the computer that you can see and touch, such as the keyboard, monitor and the
mouse are called hardware. The instructions that direct the computer are called software or
computer program.
Data which is raw facts that you the user enter into the computer is called input. This includes;
words, numbers, sound and pictures. When the data is entered into the computer, the computer
processes the data to produce information which is output. For example, you enter 2+2 into the
computer as data, the computer processes it and the result is 4 which is information.
Computers are usually categories into three general categories:
1. Supercomputer – The fastest, largest, most powerful and most expensive computer.
2. Mainframe Computer – This is a little smaller and less powerful than the supercomputer,
but, like the supercomputer it is also expensive.
3. Personal Computer (PC)- This is the computer that most people use in their daily lives.
This computer is much smaller, less powerful and less expensive than the supercomputer
and the mainframe computer. There are two main types of personal computers.
Macintosh (Macs) and the PC compatibles (PC). The main differences between the two
are the operating systems and the processor they use. This category of computer has two
additional types of computers. These are mobile computer and handheld computer. The
most popular type of mobile computer is the notebook or laptop computer, and the
handheld computer is a very small PC that you can hold in your hand.
It is important to note that, any computer; regardless of its size has an input device, output device
and a system unit.

Brief Computer History

The computer as we know it today had its beginning with a 19th century English mathematics
professor name Charles Babbage. He designed the Analytical Engine and it was this design that
the basic framework of the computers of today are based on. Generally speaking, computers can
be classified into three generations. Each generation lasted for a certain period of
time,and each gave us either a new and improved computer or an improvement to the existing
computer.
First generation: 1937 – 1946 - In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was built by Dr. John
V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). In 1943 an
electronic computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other developments continued
until in 1946 the first general– purpose digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Computer (ENIAC) was built. It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000

12
vacuum tubes which was used for processing. When this computer was turned on for the first
time lights dim in sections of Philadelphia. Computers of this generation could only perform
single task, and they had no operating system.
Second generation: 1947 – 1962 - This generation of computers used transistors instead of
vacuum tubes which were more reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was
introduced to the public; the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the
International Business Machine (IBM) 650 and 700 series computers made their mark in the
computer world. During this generation of computers over 100 computer programming
languages were developed, computers had memory and operating systems. Storage media such
as tape and disk were in use also were printers for output.
Third generation: 1963 - present - The invention of integrated circuit brought us the third
generation of computers. With this invention computer became smaller, more powerful more
reliable and they are able to run many different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft
Disk Operating System (MS-Dos) was born and in 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer
(PC) for home and office use. Three years later Apple gave us the Macintosh computer with its
icon driven interface and the 90s gave us Windows operating system.
As a result of the various improvements to the development of the computer we have seen the
computer being used in all areas of life. It is a very useful tool that will continue to experience
new development as time passes.

Computer Software
The computer will not work without software. Software also call programs are the instructions
that tell the computer what to do and how o do it. The two main categories of software are
system software and application software. The system software also called the operating system
(OS) actually runs the computer. This software controls all the operations of the computer and its
devices. All computers use system software and without the system software the application
software will not work. The most common OS on a PC is the Windows operating system and for
the Mac computer it would be the Mac operating system.
Application software is a program that allows users to a specific task on the computer. There are
a number of different types of application software available to do many of the tasks we do daily.
Four examples of common application software and what they are used for are:
Word Processing Application: One-word processing program is Microsoft Word. This program
allows you to type letters, assignments and do any other written activity on the computer.
Spreadsheet Application: Microsoft Excel is an example of a spreadsheet program. One can use
this program to create charts and do calculations.
E-mail Application: Outlook Express is an e-mail program that allows you to receive and send
e-mails.

13
Internet Application: Internet Explorer is a program that allows you to get connected to the
Internet and look at Web sites like the one you are reading now.
It is important to note that when you buy a computer the computer comes with the operating
system and some software already installed. You may have to buy more software and install
them on the computer. Install means to load the software onto the hard disk of the computer so
that you can run or use the software.
Like any other equipment the computer needs to be cared for; let us discuss how we should go
about caring for our computer.
Storage Media
Storage keeps data, information and instructions for use in the future. All computers use storage
to keep the software that makes the hardware work. As a user you store a variety of data and
information on your computer or on storage media. Storage media are the physical materials on
which data, information and instructions are kept. When a user saves information or data to a
storage medium he or she is storing a file, and this process is called writing.
When the file is opened the process is called reading. Common storage media are:
Hard Drive: This storage medium which looks like the one below, is a hard drive. This medium
comes with the computer and is always inside the computer. It stores all the programs that the
computer needs to work. In addition, users store their data and information on the hard drive.

Floppy Disk: This storage medium is considered to be a portable storage medium. You put it into
the computer save your information on it, take it out, and take it with you wherever you go.

14
CD&DVD: These types of storage media hold much more information than a floppy disk. They
are also considered portable storage. These types of storage media come in different forms. This
means that there are CDs and DVDs that you can only save information on but you cannot erase
the information. In addition, there are those that can both save information on and erase the
information you have saved.

USB Flash Drive: This is a storage medium that is very easy to carry around and it also holds
more data than a floppy disk. As you can see from the picture below it is very small when
compared with the others.

15
 COMPUTER CARE

Taking care of your computer is just as important as taking care of your books. Both the internal
and the external parts of the computer have to be cared for. Scanning, defragging and
reformatting are some of the activities performed to clean up the hard drive. These activities are
best left to a grown up and such you should not attempt them. However, there are certain tasks
you can perform to ensure your computer is clean; here are a few:

Keep Dust Away: Dust your computer to keep it free of dust and dirt.

Keep Food Away: Do not eat or drink while working on the computer.

Use Clean Hands: Make sure your hands are clean before you type on the keyboard of click the
mouse.

Treat with Respect: If you are having problems with your computer, ask for help. Do not bang
or hit the computer.

Keep Off: Seeing that the computer is connected to electricity, this means that lightning could be
conducted to your computer through the electrical connection. For this reason, it is best not to
use your computer during a storm.

Stop Virus attack: A computer virus is a program written by a person on purpose to harm other
peoples’ computers. A computer virus is passed from one computer o another when you share
and download files without the protection of an antivirus software. For this reason, you should
get permission before downloading files.

16
Computers in Mass Communication
When you turn on that desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, you almost certainly use it for one
or more of the following:
 To communicate with friends and family. Think: email, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and so
on.
 To gather information via the news, a Google search, and so on.
 To learn something on Study.com or via a university video.
 To work (perhaps remotely while sitting in your jammies at home) when you've called in
sick or on a business trip abroad.
 To be entertained, whether it's on YouTube, Netflix, or somewhere else.
All of this is possible thanks to your computer's hardware, software, and interaction with the
internet. It's clear: computers are essential for today's world in numerous ways, and most of them
revolve around the ability to communicate (for school, work, or otherwise) with a large audience.
In other words, mass communication.
Via the internet, computers spread content created on the computer (words or graphics) to the
world at large. In other words, computers are a tool for mass communication. The internet is
critical here: think about the days before the internet. Computers existed, but they weren't really
a tool for mass communication.

References:
Bunin, R.B., Cashman, T. J., and Shelly, G. B. 2003. Growing With Technology, Level 4
Boston, Mass: Thompson Course Technology
Shelly, B. S., Cashman, J. T., and Misty Vermaat. 2006. Discovering Computers:
A Gateway to Information. Boston, Mass: Thompson Course Technology.

17