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InDesign CS: a first look

Lori Grunin CNET

Published: 30 Sep 2003

Only one of InDesign's enhancements boasts universal appeal, but it's a biggie: nested styles. For example, you can now define a style format that carries format info for both the paragraph's initial cap and the body text. That can be a big time-saver, especially for layouts intended for multiple targets, such as print and online. Adobe also claims to have improved performance.

Although important in their various contexts, the rest of InDesign's mostly subtle updates will likely appeal to only niche segments of its users -- those with output intended for offset printers or XML documents.

Even if Adobe had left InDesign untouched and QuarkXPress hadn't rolled over and died, InDesign would still be the winner for complex desktop-publishing tasks. So when it ships at the end of this year, even the full £715.58 (inc. VAT) price tag won't seem unreasonable. However, justifying the £163.33 (inc. VAT) upgrade might prove difficult.

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