What is DTP?

In the age of computers, it is relatively simple to create documents and to produce professional printouts. Nevertheless, the results of the work with the computer clearly show the differences between specialists and amateurs. A few years ago, many specialists were involved in order to produce professional printouts: a graphic designer, a typography specialist, an illustrator, a photographer, a touch up specialist and a reprographic specialist. With a computer and special software, anyone is able to produce a layout up to the data needed by the printing office. But depending on the lack of knowledge concerning the processes, techniques, and applications, the results will have less quality and will be more expensive.The term "desktop publishing" is commonly used to describe page layout skills. However, the skills and software are not limited to paper and book publishing. The same skills and software are often used to create graphics for point of sale displays, promotional items, trade show exhibits, retail package designs, and outdoor signs. DTP is the abbreviation of „Desktop Publishing“ which means the production of printouts like catalogues, brochures and newspapers on a computer with special software. Recently, additional new output media for electronic distributing, like web pages and PDF documents, have been included. The main task of DTP or rather DTP- applications is the combination of text- and picture elements (illustrations, photos) to a printable layout. The focus of these kinds of applications is the text- processing and arrangement.
A wide range of related software tools exist in this field, including many plug-ins and tools related to the applications listed below.
# Adobe InDesign
# Adobe PageMaker, was Aldus Pagemaker
# Adobe Home Publisher, was Aldus Personal Press, was Silicon Beach Personal Press
# Advanced Print Publisher, formerly the 3B2 Publishing System
# QuarkXPress
# FrameMaker, now owned by Adobe
# iCalamus for Mac OS X
# Impression Publisher – RISC OS
# Interleaf/QuickSilver
# MemoryPress – DTP that allows online collaboration
# Microsoft Publisher
# Microsoft Word 2008 – This Word release contains a DTP mode
# OvationPro – RISC OS
# PagePlus SE (External link: http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/PagePlus/)
# Pages
# PageStream, formerly known as Publishing Partner
# Prince XML, by YesLogic
# Print Explosion, by Nova Development
# Print Shop, originally produced by Broderbund
# RagTime
# Ventura Publisher, now owned by Corel and originally developed by Ventura Software
# Xclamation
# UltraXML, XML Dynamic Publishing Solution
# Print MIS (http://www.printmis.com), Solution provider for the printing industry
# Business Builder for Print (http://www.systems4print.co.uk