Adobe PageMaker 7.0 [OLD VERSION]

by Adobe

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005M63M
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 13, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,346 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #13 in Software > Web Development > Professional Development
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Adobe may have the lock on professional graphics production with Photoshop, but it has long been engaged in a drawn-out battle with Quark for the hearts and wallets of the desktop publishing crowd. PageMaker 7.0, Adobe's latest effort in the desktop publishing arena, won't set it ahead of QuarkXPress 4.1, but it does have plenty of appeal for small businesses and other audiences that have minor publishing needs.

PageMaker 7.0's user guide measures in at more than 400 pages, and it thoughtfully explains every aspect of the vast and complex program. A wide range of impressive-looking templates, which cover just about every type of document imaginable (including business cards, labels, newsletters, ads, posters, and more), makes PageMaker a little more accessible to users unfamiliar with its functionality. The templates are divided into various levels of complexity, with the lowest level containing helpful annotations for novice users.

While its improvements over version 6.5 are minimal, PageMaker 7.0 makes a few worthy strides to justify its sparkly new version number. Among the most welcome is a surprisingly intuitive data merge feature, which allows users to configure target areas in their publications and import respective fields from a spreadsheet or database. Unfortunately, it only recognizes comma-delineated CSV or TXT files; it doesn't import data directly from common file formats created by Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3.

Ironically, another area of improvement in PageMaker 7.0 is compatibility with other programs. It easily imports and handles layered image files from Illustrator and Photoshop 5.0 and 6.0, and features input converters for files created in QuarkXPress and Microsoft Publisher. PageMaker's PDF export capabilities have been enhanced both in the main program and with the included Acrobat Distiller applet, allowing users to configure security and embedded tag options.

Even with its plethora of templates, PageMaker 7.0 isn't by any means an entry-level application. Nonprofessional users who have never used a high-caliber desktop publishing program should probably consider a simpler package such as Microsoft Publisher. While hardened, professional magazine designers tend to prefer QuarkXPress, Adobe PageMaker 7.0 is nonetheless a complex and powerful tool that packs a serious learning curve.

PageMaker 7.0 is perfect for small businesses that can't afford to hire out designers for promotional materials, or for companies that have the need to create professional-looking PDF files. Owners of PageMaker 6.5 might not feel compelled to upgrade, but companies and creative folks newly in the market for a muscular desktop publishing tool will be well served by PageMaker 7.0. --Joel Durham Jr.

Product Description

Adobe PageMaker 7.0 for Windows can be registered and upgraded. This is the full retail version not an Upgrade, Educational, NFR, or OEM version.

Adobe PageMaker 7.0 is the ideal page layout program for business, education, and home-office professionals who want to create high-quality publications such as brochures and newsletters. Get started quickly with templates, graphics, and intuitive design tools; work productively across Adobe applications; and easily leverage existing content to create customized communications. Create a wide variety of publications in Adobe PageMaker 7.0, from simple one-page flyers to complex reports. Build your own publications from scratch, or take advantage of hundreds of pre-designed templates that you can modify to suit your needs. Quickly lay out publications by creating frames to hold text and graphics, applying master pages to apply different page designs within a single publication, and using layers to set up a single file for multiple versions of a publication. Type and format text directly in layout view, or edit using the built-in story editor. Part Number 27530341.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Bad Release, September 25, 2001

By 

D. Bannister (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adobe PageMaker 7.0 [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

My experience with the PageMaker program goes back to the original Apple LISA computer. I have used the Windows version for a number of years now with no complaints. However not so with PM7. The new version loaded and booted ok, however on exiting the program I would always get a fatal error that would necessitate the restart of my computer (Win98). To their credit Adobe has published a document at its site to troubleshoot PM7 but my contention is why should we have to? If there are potentially this many conflicts with the various devices you have connected to your PC maybe the problem lies in this version of PageMaker.

As a result of the PM7 install problems, I got trapped in Windows Safe Mode and for my first time ever I had to take my PC in to be serviced.

I returned PM7 and have reverted back to PM6.5. I do not know how the Macintosh version of the program will behave, but on the basis of my experience I cannot recommend PageMaker 7. I would encourage users to wait for the inevitable and probably more stable PM7.5.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What a shame!, December 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Adobe PageMaker 7.0 [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

I love Adobe products, and I use them for the vast majority of my work. This was the first time I've ever been dissapointed with a product from them.

As other reviewers have mentioned, PM7 is very buggy and crashes often. One of the major reasons I purchased it was for its conversion abilities from QuarkXpress and Publisher. When it didn't crash (which was almost always) the results were not spectacular, and it was almost better to redo the projects by hand in PM7. What a waste of time.

If you're a pro publisher, stick to Quark (especially since a new version will be out soon with merging and conversion capability). If you're a novice, go and buy the latest version of MS Publisher. You'll be better off!

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Upgrade Makes PageMaker a More Viable Product, December 5, 2002

By 

Coronakwl (Glendale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adobe PageMaker 7.0 [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

Having worked in document production for ten years, using QuarkXpress, MSPublisher, and PageMaker on a daily basis, I have to say my preferred program has become PageMaker and the 7.0 upgrade confirms that. Most designers will say QuarkXpress is better but I have always found PageMaker to be easier to use because of its easy integration with the two other "musts" for design and illustration...Photoshop and Illustrator. The 7.0 version adds some more bells and whistles, updates some clunky code, and provides even better conversion capabilities. PageMaker is a very powerful program for the price and I have been able to use it for everything from large format posters to 2000 page technical manuals. PageMaker is by no means a beginner's program. The interface is pretty standard as far as layout programs go and you will find it familiar if you use other Adobe software... but there are many less obvious features that will be discovered only through regular use of the program or a detailed reading of the manual.