Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of software we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Desktop Publishing Software.

Ratings

Ease of Use

Desktop publishing software features and instructions should be easy to find and simple enough for computer beginners to understand and use.

Photo/Graphic Tools

Desktop publishing software should be able to adjust, rotate, resize and alter images for use in publishing projects.

Text Tools

Desktop publishing software should include a library of creative and decorative fonts and should allow you to apply special effects to text.

Help/Support

Desktop publishing software should come with both a built-in help system and good online support, including resources like FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), email support and automatic updates.

Projects

Templates

The number of templates included in the desktop publishing program.

Banners

The ability to create and print signs longer than a single page.

Business Cards

Contains your name, title, business logo, address, telephone number and other information pertaining to you or your business.

Business Forms

Range from credit memos, expense reports and quotes to fax cover sheets, purchase orders and more.

Calendars

Timekeeping systems organized in weekly, monthly or yearly form and used to assign dates to days.

Catalogs

Booklets of products or services.

Certificates

An official document (such as a birth certificate) or an award for some achievement.

Direct Mail

Advertising by sending information directly to targeted groups.

Greeting Cards

A folded card with a message of greeting, sentiment or congratulations.

Invitations

A request to be present or take part in an event, such as a graduation, luncheon or party.

Letterhead

Paper that a business uses with preprinted information, such as the company's contact details and logo.

Menus

The ability to design restaurant-style menus.

Newsletters

Informative letters or emails that are mailed to subscribers.

Postcards

A card mailed without an envelope.

Posters

A large printed document, such as a movie advertisement.

Report Covers

Used to provide details on or an explanation of a document's content.

Resumes

A brief written summary of an individual's past career and education for a potential, employer to review.

Styles

Save time by assigning various formatting properties for text and images (such as font, color and border) to a style.

Stationary Sets

Matching business cards, letterhead, envelopes and sometimes fax cover sheets.

Tables

Used to organize and group data in an accessible manner.

Master Pages

Store objects that appear on every page (such as page numbers, borders and headers and footers) on a master page.

Web Pages

A document written in HTML (hypertext markup language) that's accessed via the Internet.

Photo/Graphic Tools

Art Gallery

The number and type of images included in the desktop publishing software.

Color Correction

Moderately or strongly change the color intensity of an image by adding more green, yellow, red, pink, blue or light blue to the image. Some desktop publishing programs also allow you to make a negative.

Flaw Correction

The tools used to correct red-eye, dust and scratches, shiny spots or repair a damaged area of a photograph.

Crop Image

Trim unwanted portions off an image.

3-D Effects

Add a bevel, shadow or texture to an image.

Transparency

Give an image the appearance of being transparent.

Photo Effects

Common edit effects include: fading image borders by softening edges, adding artistic effects, converting to black and white, colorizing or apply various other filters.

Drawing Tools

The desktop publishing software allows you to take a rectangular image and change its shape into a heart, an oval, a star or other shape or to create a custom shape.

CMYK Editing

This includes CMYK color mixing and separation, spot color, RGB & HSL color models, ICC color profiles and intelligent color schemes.

Pantone Color Matching

A color matching system for solid colors that includes coated, uncoated and matte.

Frames

Used to create a decorative look around a picture or image. A popular document format that embeds the typeface, graphics and page layouts into one compact file.

Text Effects

Fonts

The number of fonts included in the desktop publishing software.

Shadows

A diffused shadow inside or behind the text.

3-D Type Effects

Transform the text into a three-dimensional shape.

Inner/Outer Glows

A color border outside the edge of the text.

Bevel & Emboss

Bevels adds a rounded-edge effect, while emboss adds a convex edge and shadow.

Insert Picture into Text

The desktop publishing software actually inserts an object into the text and makes it part of the text box, not just in front of or behind the text.

Text on Curves

You can curve the text to any shape.

Wrap Text

Wraps the text around an object.

Gradient & Transparency

Gradient is a smooth transition from one color to another. Transparency gives an image the appearance of being transparent.

Mail Merge

Allows you to create a document that automatically fills in individual information from a mailing list when printed.

Thesaurus

Offers synonyms for words.

Spell Checker

Locates and corrects misspelled words.

Proof Reader

Used to proof text for grammar and readability errors.

Printing/Sharing

eMail/Messenger

Allows you to send projects via email or instant messenger.

Custom Paper

Allows you to print multiple pages and assemble them as one larger image. This is ideal for posters and signs.

PDF/PostScript

A popular document format that embeds the typeface, graphics and page layouts into one compact file.

Help/Support

Updates

Desktop publishing software should allow you to check for new updates right from the control panel.

eMail Support

An easy-to-find email address should be offered for customer support.

Phone Support

Desktop publishing software should have a phone contact number. The phone support should have convenient business hours and no fee.

Tutorials

Desktop publishing should offer tutorials, which should be useful and relevant.

Help Content

The documentation supplied with the desktop publishing software should be thorough and the index/search functions should be intuitive.

FAQ

The desktop publishing software's website should include a section of frequently asked questions and answers about the print software.

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