How different is Quark XPress from InDesign?

[Walter_Sobchak]

Was putzing around on a job board tonight just for shiggles, and something really caught my eye - this wasn't your run-of-the-mill copy editing/design job. Would take this job in a heartbeat, although one of the requirements was knowledge of InDesign.

Now, I know Quark XPress quite well, but have never once used InDesign. This isn't a question so much as to "Should I still apply for this job?" but rather I'm curious as to how tough of a switch it was for those of you whose papers have gone from one system to another.

I think we've had this discussion before, although I'm too lazy to search for the thread. If we have, please point me in the right direction. If not, your thoughts? 8)

 

[mike311gd]

It's not all that different. I learned Quark in college and used it for my first couple years in the business. I picked up InDesign in a few days. Like most everything, you do it enough times, and it becomes easier.

 

[Bob_Jelloneck]

Try Alfa.

 

[BYH]

It's not all that different. I learned Quark in college and used it for my first couple years in the business. I picked up InDesign in a few days. Like most everything, you do it enough times, and it becomes easier.

Or so you've heard?

 

[Steak Snabler]

It's not that different. There are some subtle differences --- menus and hot keys, mostly --- that take getting used to, but if you know Quark, you should be able to pick it up in a matter of weeks, if not days.

 

[PHINJ]

Every program involves drawing boxes, and putting stuff in boxes. That's it.

InDesign is very easy to learn and very intuitive. I literally picked it up instantly the first time I ever opened it, designing a front page in five minutes, based on having used Illustrator five years earlier.

 

[mike311gd]

It's not all that different. I learned Quark in college and used it for my first couple years in the business. I picked up InDesign in a few days. Like most everything, you do it enough times, and it becomes easier.

Or so you've heard?

I saw it on television. It has to be true.

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

It's not all that different. I learned Quark in college and used it for my first couple years in the business. I picked up InDesign in a few days. Like most everything, you do it enough times, and it becomes easier.

Or so you've heard?

I saw it on television. It has to be true.

TV talks about page design? and here I was watching ESPN, comedy central and bad movies on HBO.

 

[deskslave]

It's ridiculous to me that papers would actually disqualify someone based on knowin Quark instead of InDesign. Yeah, it's gonna take a day or two to learn the differences. But it's gonna take more than that to learn that paper's specific style, the ins and outs of its file management system, where the bathroom is, etc. What are they gonna do? Have you design the cover right after you finish the HR paperwork? If they are, maybe that's one of those signs that you don't wanna work there.

If you've got a good grip on Quark, you'll like InDesign. It's a lot like Quark, only with less suck.

 

[expendable]

Plus, there's a function in InDesign that will let you use Quark keys if there's any problem making the jump. But as others have said, you'll spend more time learning names and faces than you will learning the differences between the two programs.

 

[forever_town]

This should be moved to http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/forums/11/

 

[forever_town]

Nobody's gonna not hire you because you know Quark or don't know InDesign, and that paper has the other program. Every paper is gonna put you on a "training" rotation for a week or two so you have a chance to learn the system. My new paper did that, too, even though I've got seven years of solid design background. You still have to pick up that system, and that takes a little time.

When I worked briefly at a daily, I actually had to learn Hermes (which I'd never heard of before and most people still haven't heard of it). That took a while. Of course, it was a night-and-day difference from Quark. The paper I was working for put me in a training system where I sat next to another designer for a few days.