Is It Poweful Enough? (MS Publisher 2000)

Member Name: JRW

Product:	MS Publisher 2000
Date:	28/07/00 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to use, office 200 integration, one of the cheapest

Disadvantages: not powerful enough, lack of advanced features

The first thing you must remember about desktop publishing software is that it ain’t gonna be cheap. For the top products you are looking at hundreds of pounds and the results are still only going to be as good as you can use the software. However, for us non-professionals who simply want to create posters, newsletters, and the other standard fare, then Microsoft Publisher 2000 could well be for you.

I am unable to give you a price for this product as this came bundled with my computer, but I’m sure that the other reviews can inform you of how much of your hard-earned money you’ll have to spend.

In terms of quality, Publisher 2000 will let you create lots of different documents, such as birthday cards, and is extremely easy to use, utilising step-by-step wizards which ensure that beginners are not overawed by the program. For those who are familiar with desktop publishing software there should also be enough power to satisfy your needs. However, for the professionals this is probably going to be a little too lightweight.

Microsoft Publisher 2000 integrates well into the Office 2000 series and offers a comprehensive and well organised help section. Admittedly there’s no paper clip or genius to ask questions to, but you only have to type in a key word and you’re sure to find the solution to your problem.

If you’re thinking of creating a website and want a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) HTML editor to avoid that nasty code, then I wouldn’t really recommend Publisher 2000. It will function very well doing the basic pictures and text, but when you inevitably learn more about web pages then you’ll perhaps find that Publisher 2000 won’t be able to cope with your demands. If you’re serious about your web site then I’d recommend a dedicated web page editor, such as Microsoft FrontPage 2000 – easy to
use, functionally, yet powerful.

In conclusion,
Publisher 2000 is an excellent product if you’re looking for a budget DTP program. It includes plenty of clip-art and isn’t short on features. However, don’t expect top-class results or Sachi & Sachi head-hunters to be knocking at your door. If you want professional results then I don’t think that Publisher 2000 will be able to suit your needs. You’ll inevitably have to spend more on a more powerful, but perhaps less intuitive, product.

Summary: