Chuck,
There's OpenOffice - a *free* office suite, including a word processor
that will export directly to PDF. It is available for Windows, Mac and
Linux. There was a new release out on Friday and one of the improvements
was "Enhanced PDF management" - I'm not sure what that means but if you
are wanting to use PDFs...
See http://www.openoffice.org
Mike.
Chuck Norcutt wrote:
> Thanks. I'll have to sit down with the details and figure the price.
> Also, I think the only software I have that produces a pdf is Word
> Perfect but last time I tried I couldn't even get it to insert a JPEG in
> the file. A mystery since I'm sure I've done that before. It has a
> menu entry for doing exactly that but nothing happens.
>
> Chuck Norcutt
>
> Piers Hemy wrote:
>
>
>> Yes, that sounds a perfect candidate for Lulu, Chuck. The page
>> order/arrangement of pictures in the text is of no consequence, you can put
>> them wherever you like.
>>
>> Lulu offers a range of sizes and bindings in softcover and hardback, with a
>> choice of full colour or mono printing (but it's one or the other - one
>> colour page in a 200 page book means the whole book is priced as a colour
>> book). You are expected to produce your ready-to-print book as a pdf file
>> to upload (but Lulu can convert on-the-fly from common packages). Choose
>> predesigned covers or upload you own as jpg files, choose your order
>> quantity and shipping method (same price to print 1 or 100, but shipping
>> cost per copy usually drops the more you order), sit back and wait for the
>> delivery. What could be easier? You can have your book available for all
>> to order, a bit like having an integrated book printer/bookseller, or you
>> can restrict sales to yourself, if you want to act as your own seller. You
>> have control over the selling price of your book, adding whatever margin you
>> want for direct orders (but in the case of the second link below, the
>> selling price is the Lulu cost price). You can also make your book
>> available for direct download, again at whatever price you choose (and in
>> the case of the second link below, it's free).
>>
>> Lulu is even useful for properly printed and bound copies of manuals which
>> are suppliedon CD. For example, I did myself an E-1 manual, a quick example
>> of what would be a pain on a desktop printer:
>>
>> http://www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID=154656
>>
>> I should have resized the pdf to match the Lulu paper size, so one side of
>> the thumb index does not reach the page edge - tough!
>>
>> A few things to watch out for at the design stage:
>>
>> Always order one proof before going to bulk order. You can't be sure how
>> colours will reproduce until you see the first copy. Thereafter, in my
>> experience, colour consistency is pretty good - but see the note below re
>> the order stage).
>>
>> I strongly recommend against the use of MS Publisher if you have lots of
>> images. Publisher defaults to using LZW compression on images, which as far
>> as I can tell cannot be switched off. LZW compression can cause a 1-pixel
>> wide line on images, and it took MONTHS to diagnose the problem. I cannot
>> fault Lulu support who spent inordinate time and effort on the problem to
>> get a workaround, and replaced a USD1000 order free of charge. Full marks!
>>
>> And one to watch out for at the order stage:
>> Available formats/sizes vary depending on where the book is printed. Those
>> ordering Lulu books from outside USA will likely get their books printed
>> outside USA (even if the book was designed/published in US) if the
>> format/size is available from non-US printers. BUT US and non-US books have
>> different colour and paper characteristics (even though the spec is
>> identical). The US and non-US books look different, and if you want
>> consistency of output, make sure you know where you are getting your books
>> printed. One way to do this is to include in your order an item which is
>> only available from US sources - some sizes of book, or a CD, for example.
>> These need not be your own publications.
>>
>> Hard to know what else you might want to know - so ask away, or just try it!
>>
>> --
>> Piers
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
>> Of Chuck Norcutt
>> Sent: 14 October 2006 14:33
>> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [OM] Re: Pixology's noise enhancing printing!
>>
>> I'm definitely interested. I've been working on my father's autobiography
>> which is 86 pages of text and perhaps a dozen pages of (mostly small)
>> photographs. The photos are in a separate section and not interspersed with
>> the text. Is this a reasonable candidate for Lulu?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Chuck Nrcutt
>>
>> Piers Hemy wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> An alternative to consider is Lulu. Gene Wilburn, who may still be a
>>> list-member, put together this fine tome:
>>>
>>> http://www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID=110604
>>>
>>> Which stimulated the production of this centenary volume for our
>>> camera
>>> club:
>>>
>>> http://www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID=382299
>>>
>>> The cost (USD15 per copy + shipping) for a 64-page 8.5x11" full colour
>>> paperback is pretty impressive, and the quality of printing is
>>> entirely acceptable. There are one or two traps to look out for, I'll
>>> be glad to expound if there is any interest.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Piers
>>>
>>
>>
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>
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