Next semester coming up.. Indesign or Quark?

Hmmm, that's like showing us two equally attractive girlfriends and asking which you should marry. I'd recommend getting to know both while in college before deciding.

Honestly, the key really isn't picking one over the other at this piont... it's about learning the proper techniques. The two programs are really similar and you won't develop 'power user' techniques in either until you get into a day-to-day job.

Once you've learned a page layout program, picking up the other isn't extremely difficult unless you've got years of 'shortcuts' engrained and your fingers run on autopilot.

I was first taught PageMaker in 1990 while in college. Soon after graduation my first job sent me in the direction of Quark. It's what the agency used and I picked it up within a week.

Now I'm on the fence once again as I use both InDesign and Quark.

Over the past few years, InDesign has made a number of huge leaps to catch and possibly pass Quark. While working in PrePress I've witnessed many 'making the switch' over the last 2 years because of price and Quark dragging their feet to release an Mac OSX version. Someone in the industry recently told me that they don't know anyone who has went out and upgraded to Quark 7.

If I were in your shoes at this point... I'd learn InDesign. Adobe Creative Suite is a thing of beauty and I fear Quark's run is over.

I agree-- get to know each. But, I really think the future is with InDesign (okay, and I'm HOPING the future is InDesign)....

At least as far as I'm concerned.

I began using Quark at version 1 and when InDesign came out, I took one look and never looked back.

And using the "girlfriend analogy," Quark was the only girl in town for many years and we quietly overlooked many of her quirks, politely suggested ways she could be more attractive, easier to love, and ultimately a better partner. Believe me... We all wanted to love Quark, but I digress.

I'm sure we all remember the first time we saw InDesign from across a crowded room.

...sigh. :)

Seriously, I attended the pre-launch presentation at an Apple-sponsored Prepress event where the Quark folks had to follow the InDesign folks. Adobe's presentation had us all (more than 1,000 designers printers, etc.) nearly coming out of our seats with each feature demonstration. Then it was Quark's turn, which basically announced, "Uh... With Quark, now we can export as a PDF!"

I think half the room left in the middle of their presentation.

Quark 7? Too little, too late.

From the perspective of someone who became familiar with both programs at around the same time, there's no choice. Quark just doesn't cut it. Not just in features, but in user interface and bugs too. After memorizing the 15th command-option-shift-something shortcut you'll start pulling your hair out. I've seen long-time Quark users who know all the shortcuts and I can still be more productive than them in InDesign.

People still use it so it's a good idea to learn both if you can. But once you use both, I'd be very surprised if you picked Quark over InDesign.

thumbs up for inDesign
agree with above, Quark was too much time acting like "im no 1 so why try harder?". inDesign has yet room to grow and is full of ambitions to wipe out Quark.
at least you are positive that next year you WILL get a new version.

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always outnumbered, never outgunned

Quark will be around, but InDesign is gaining strongly.

That is not a question is a statement, In Desing is more flexible and more compatible with a lot of other software, Old Quack is a pitty and out of the road... and you should try both, but In Desing is will knock your socks down she is your girl....

Later

Caya

We´ll always have Paris! Humphrey Bogart

I'm using the quark xpress since a few years. I started with 4.02 now I'm working with the 6.5 version. I had no problem.

If you use Photoshop, use InDesign

If you use Illustrator, use InDesign

If you make PDFs, use InDesign

InDesign is like using a Mac as opposed to a PC.