Microsoft Publisher 2002 [Old Version]

I have used Microsoft Publisher from the inception, and it is the easiest, most idiot proof programme available for all of the above and more. Beginners can use the wizards and templates, which can be modified as you get more familiar with the programme. I am a self taught Publisher user, and if I can do it, anyone can.

Unfortunately, nobody in the professional advertising world and world-wide web uses or has any form of Publisher, so my best advertising creations have to be copied and saved in Microsoft Word, and sent to the advertising agencies to set up in Corel Draw. (I tried teaching myself Corel Draw, but it's not as easy as Publisher, and I gave up)

No website host works with Publisher either, so I have had to begin learning Dreamweaver, which is more complicated and only gives you a tiny space to work in, unlike the full page to which I am accustomed.

The only other drawback I have found is that the clipart collection is stored on-line, so you have to log on to the internet to get clipart pictures, and if you have a slow connection, you're there all day waiting for pictures to come up. They should have some basic clips readily available for simple projects, as in earlier versions.

For people who don't have to interface with the media and web site hosts, this programme is ideal for all your desktop publishing requirements.


Critical 21st century communications tool   May 13, 2003
 25 out of 26 found this review helpful

Having worked with Aldus and Adobe pagemaker in the high school and college newsroom, I was initally leery when my college graduation gift was a new computer with Publisher loaded in. First, it seemed relatively simplistic compared to the models I had been using and second, if I knew something more confusing, it made little sense to go back.

I quickly became a Microsoft convert and now use the program for every concievable academic, personal and business need imaginable. How I survived for this long previously withhout the program is a medical mystery because I shake my head and cluck my toungue at those people who remain trapped in the past of desktop publishing.

While the formats of the pre-programed options are limited, your personal imagination is expansive, and a hallmark of Microsoft has been the software's inevitable flexbility towards the latter when it would have been easier for them (as many other companies in the early days of the computer revolution) to retain complete control over the program's capabilities and set definite paramaters. From custom projects to color schemes, the user can truly make it "their" publisher.

My only main gripe is that it does not seem to come bundled with many current windows systems.


Publish This: ONE OF THE BEST   April 8, 2003
 15 out of 16 found this review helpful

Microsoft Publisher has always been one of my favorite programs. Although with upgrades it is now left out of some OFFICE suites, it deserves to be there alongside WORD, EXCEL and POWERPOINT as it is one of the best programs Microsoft has come up with.

Printing brochures,cards, newsletters, etc. as well as importing clip art into documents is simple enough for the novice user; sophisticated enough for any home office or small business.

Everything is straight forward and if you have ever used any of the Office Suite products, then this just follows the norm so you won't be spending any time reading the instructions: you can start creating as soon as you've loaded the program onto your system.


Better off sticking with Microsoft Publishing 2000   February 13, 2003
 36 out of 41 found this review helpful

I own Microsoft Publishing 2000, which I bought several years ago for just [$$$], of which I have always had success. A couple months ago, I bought Microsoft Publisher for [$$$], thinking it would be more improved, up-to-date, and that it would have the same features as Microsoft Publishing 2000, with more. I was wrong.
Microsoft Publishing 2000 had everything: thousands of great ClipArt pictures built-in. Microsoft Publisher had the scantiest selection of ClipArt I have ever seen. I thought to myself, OK, I paid about [$$$] for this program and it can't even offer me good ClipArt? Also, after many tries, I couldn't (and still can't) find how to insert text without outlining it with a visible box, that shows up even when printing. There were many other things that are too numerous to outline here. My point is, if you already have Microsoft Publishing 2000, stick with it, and even if you don't and are considering buying Microsoft Publisher, pay about [$$$] cheaper and get an easier-to-use, amateur-friendly program that makes things simple - Microsoft Publishing 2000.

-AG