Microsoft Publisher 2000 A Graphics Powerhouse

I've been a devoted fan of Microsoft Publisher since it first appeared 10 years ago.

In the 'bad old days" of DOS, I played with graphics packages such as PrintMaster, PFS: First Publisher, Express Publisher and a few others.

While the output the programs produced were suitable for fun publications, the programs lacked the ability to produce serious documents that were suitable for business use. For that, one had to learn to use either one of two programs, Ventura Publisher or PageMaker. Quite frankly, I didn't have the desire to spend the dozens of hours it took to mater either program, not to mention the hefty price tag of $700.00 to $1000.00 for either program.

Enter Microsoft Publisher. The first version for Windows made me an instant fan. I Produced labels, forms, stationery, and FAX coversheets that were worthy enough to send to my business contacts. I was amazed at the quality of the output and the ease of use the program offered.

When the Windows 95 Version appeared Publisher was one of the first programs I purchased that was designed for the new platform. I was delighted will all the new features.

Microsoft PUBLISHER 2002 is an unbelievable step forward in home office graphics, and a must have for everyday business applications.

In addition to paper publications, MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 is also a web publishing program which produces outstanding web pages in minutes, without having to know any programming languages such as HTML . Java can remain the acronym for a cup of coffee! More about web publishing later.

First and foremost MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 is a graphics package designed for those of us who are not graphics artists but require an occasional professional publication. Although some creative ability is a plus, this terrific program provides Wizards, and Templates and Help Oh My!

So most of us can create works of art without a smidgen of creativity if We follow the PageWizards as they guide us through the creation process. MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 comes with more than 20 different Publishing Wizards assistants who are there to assist you until and if you decide you have mastered the art of publication creation with MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002. I still use the Wizards and probably always will. I just modify the terrific designs they make to suit my own creative bent.

What will MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 do.? Just about anything you need to do in graphics for Home or the Small Office Environment.


Calendar	Wine List	Newsletters	Menus	Post Cards


Envelopes	Web Sites	Invitations	Cut & Paste Paper Airplanes	Fax Cover Sheets

MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 can produce labels for VCR Tapes, Return Address, Mailing Labels (with merge capability) CD-ROM and Floppy Disk Labels and custom labels of almost any size. Kids will love the ability to produce their own round sticker labels which Avery Label sells at all stationery stores. How about flyers & brochures?

You can produce both two and three panel fold brochures, and flyers in minutes. The Publishing Wizards will create dozens of attractive layouts automatically. You just add the text. If you want to change the layouts you can do so easily after you have mastered a few simple techniques. Need Business Forms?

Expense sheets, FAX Sheets, Expense Reports, Statements, Invoices, Quotes, Timesheets are among the stock forms available in the package. These can be modified to create other forms you use in your business or organization, or use the tools in MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 to create tables for custom forms you can design from scratch. Calendars, Resumes, Signs, Posters, Banners, Greeting Cards, Certificates and dozens of other types of attractive, functional and pun publications are included in this fantastic package.

With more than 25000 pieces of high quality clip art and photo images, hundreds of fonts and decorative borders all your publishing needs are easily met. In the off chance that you need even more....Microsoft offers you access to it's Design Gallery Live on the web you will find thousands of images, pictures

and other graphic elements. Want to add sounds and videos to your online publications? With Microsoft PUBLISHER 2002 you can easily do this.

Yes, I said sounds and videos! No, I'm not daft, I know you can't attach sound or video to a brochure or a greeting card. (yet) but you can attach them to a web page, or an HTML document that can be sent through the Internet after you attach them to your Internet Ready MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 document. (Imagine a brochure that can read itself!) Yes you need some additional equipment to do this unless you use the stock sound and video library on the Microsoft Web Site.

If you have a scanner (TWAIN complaint) you can scan your own photos or graphics and text into your documents.

2002 also produces documents that can be sent to a service bureau by modem who will convert your documents into camera ready artwork for your printer. This can literally save you hundreds of dollars of composition costs. Kinko's can print your output from your documents sent to them by modem.

There are literally 10's of millions of MICROSOFT PUBLISHER users out there, who had a difficult time getting their projects professionally printed by commercial printers. Most printers were only able to use files created in programs like PageMaker and Quark and were unable to utilize files created in MICROSOFT PUBLISHER. With such a large user population, several printers began to develop capabilities to work directly with PUBLISHER files.

Microsoft has developed software programs to allow printers to be able to work with PUBLISHER files. A number of on-line printers now offer service via the web and can publish your files if your local printer is unable to do so. In time I suspect all printers will have to develop this capability or miss out on a significant segment of the market.

For a listing of printers who offer this service visit www.microsoft.com/publisher/printers

The OUTSTANDING, and I mean OUTSTANDING Instruction Manual that accompanies the program will teach you how to start creating publications in less than an hour with zero experience. It is an excellent guide which will assist you in learning the basics of graphics technique.

In a learn-by-doing format, the program explains fonts, artwork, page layout and helps you to understand the things that are attractive to your reader.

One of the essential aspect of the reviews I write concerns itself with how easy the program is to use. I usually load the program onto the computer and attempt to start using it without a glance at the documentation. While it is true that I am familiar with the way the program functions, each new version is slightly different.

Because Microsoft PUBLISHER 2002 shares the familiar office tools menu format such as the one in Microsoft Word, the toolbar will be quite familiar to you.

Ease of use is enhanced thanks to PageWizards. A user with average computer skills will learn the program quickly an be able to produce publications in about a half hour.

I've saved the best for last..

If you are on the Internet with a provider who offers you a web page (anywhere from 5 to 20 megs plus) and you wonder what you can do with it, the answer is simple.

Produce your own home page and web site to sell, educate or just have fun using the Internet in a way you may never have done before.

MICROSOFT PUBLISHER 2002 is capable of producing a web site which will knock your viewer's socks off. The PageWizards will help you do this in no time at all.

With special offers available through Amazon. COM, you can purchase Microsoft PUBLISHER 2002 for as little as $49.95

Try Microsoft PUBLISHER 2002 and I'm certain that you will be as impressed with the program as I am.

	On the left is an example of a flyer that was created from one of the many templates that come with the program. It was produced in less than a minute. Microsoft PUBLISHER 2002 features more then 25 basic design sets. Each set has a multitude of styles, and each style can be modified to change its colors, fonts and features. Literally millions of combinations are possible which will allow you to create outstanding publications with very little graphics experience. There are also numerous blank templates which allow you to design your own publication from scratch.

The Examples shown below are but a small example of the templates you can modify and use to turn out exceptional publications even if you are a novice!