Desktop Publishing

Desktop publishing is the use of the computer and software to create visual displays of ideas and information.The difference between Desktop publishing and web editing is that desktop publishing is publishing it only on your computer, so that only you are able to see it. The most powerful desktop publishing systems enable you to create illustrations, while less powerful systems let you insert illustrations created by other programs.Web publishing is so that everyone can see it. It allows you tu use different typefaces, margins and illustrations, through desktop publishing you have more control. It allows you to see the document on the screen how it is going to be printed, system that allows you to do that are called WYSIWYG. 3 applications that use DTP are:

• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe FrameMaker
• Adobe PageMaker

Essential hardware items you need for desktop publishing are digital cameras, monitors, printers, scanners, and other peripherals. DTP allows you to eliminate manual work.

Offset printing is for full color printing. The processes involved in this printing method, is based on 4 colors which are known by cymk cyan, magenta, yellow and black. More than 16 million of colors can be obtained by mixing these 4 colors together. Offset printing is the most popular printing process used today and is used for printing magazines, books, business cards...A laser printer is a common type of printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper.Laser printers work in a manner similar to a photocopier. A roller is charged with electricity, then a laser is used to remove the charge from portions of the roller. Powdered ink (toner) sticks to the parts of the roller that were hit by the laser, and this toner is transferred from the roller to the paper. Then the ink is baked into the paper using a heater. Laser printers produce very high quality output and are very fast.

Ink jet
These work in a similar manner to a dot-matrix printer, but instead of pressing a dry ink against the page, the print head sprays drops of liquid ink onto the page. Ink jet printers have better image quality and are faster than dot-matrix printers.


Laser
These work in a manner similar to a photocopier. A roller is charged with electricity, then a laser is used to remove the charge from portions of the roller. Powdered ink (toner) sticks to the parts of the roller that were hit by the laser, and this toner is transferred from the roller to the paper. Then the ink is baked into the paper using a heater. Laser printers produce very high quality output and are very fast.


Dot-matrix
In a dot-matrix printer, a print head moves across the page. Characters or graphics are created by using a cluster of pins. These pins press an inked ribbon to the paper to create a dot. Each character or image is made out of a series of dots. These printers are usually cheap and durable, so they are still used by many businesses as invoice printers. They tend to be slow and noisy, and the output quality is the lowest of all types of printers.