View Full Version : Better alternative to Scribus
Buntu Bunny
July 7th, 2013, 03:43 AM
There's already a thread entitled, "Better alternative to GIMP (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2073801)." I'm wondering if there's an open source alternative to Scribus for a desktop publisher.
Francisco Cardoso
October 1st, 2013, 12:57 AM
Nops Buntu. What i usually do is to work on inkscape. I only use Scribus to apply spot colors and create the final file to send to the printing company.
ssam
October 1st, 2013, 09:01 AM
what is it about scribus that you don't like?
Buntu Bunny
October 2nd, 2013, 12:48 AM
Francisco Cardoso and ssam, I'm please someone responded after all this time. :)
What i usually do is to work on inkscape. I only use Scribus to apply spot colors and create the final file to send to the printing company.
But do you use Inkscape as a DTP? I mean for working with images + text + formatting? I've used Inkscape for creating vector drawings and think it invaluable for that.
what is it about scribus that you don't like?
I had a lot of trouble with it in the beginning, as in freezing, not opening, and ramping up my CPU. I stuck with it (because I needed it) and am now able to do what I need without much problem. It's still quirky, however, and sometimes there's nothing for it but to close it down and restart. There's something to be said for familiarity.
I'm currently working with both versions 1.4 and 1.5, and each has it's idiosyncrasies. I'm more used to 1.4, but I need 1.5 for its pdf output.
juampi-ursic
October 6th, 2013, 04:48 AM
I'm studying Graphic Design so now i gotta use some editorial app, i got windows with inDesign but i tried Scribus and i found it very easy to work with, more than with iD, the only thing that i fear is printing and it's the very reason for what i use Scribus, the main thing that i'm a little afraid of is color, i used Ai for a long time this half year and the past one, never had a problem, used it in CMYK and everything ok. Using Inkscape produced me some troubles, couldn't never hit the right color in the program that i wanted for print, dunno how to set it right really, it's frustrating.
Buntu Bunny
October 6th, 2013, 03:46 PM
I'm studying Graphic Design so now i gotta use some editorial app, i got windows with inDesign but i tried Scribus and i found it very easy to work with, more than with iD, the only thing that i fear is printing and it's the very reason for what i use Scribus, the main thing that i'm a little afraid of is color, i used Ai for a long time this half year and the past one, never had a problem, used it in CMYK and everything ok. Using Inkscape produced me some troubles, couldn't never hit the right color in the program that i wanted for print, dunno how to set it right really, it's frustrating.
Have you tried saving your file from Inkscape and opening in Scribus for your printing needs?
juampi-ursic
October 6th, 2013, 08:47 PM
Have you tried saving your file from Inkscape and opening in Scribus for your printing needs?
Tried but not everything is quite right, i mean, shapes are there but text and images aren't, so i can't really use Scribus for that.
I tried color profile sRGB in Inkscape and use it with CMS to pick my color, between monitors and with my phone the color is moslty accurate, not so much but much much better than before, but i don't have a CMYK profile, not the ones that i saw in some other posts the people are using.
Buntu Bunny
October 6th, 2013, 09:16 PM
juampi-ursic, cmyk colors will not render accurately on an electronic device because they are meant for print. In fact, they usually look pretty bad in Scribus but print out well.
juampi-ursic
October 7th, 2013, 08:21 AM
juampi-ursic, cmyk colors will not render accurately on an electronic device because they are meant for print. In fact, they usually look pretty bad in Scribus but print out well.That i know! The thing is that using Inkscape and trying to print isn't quite well, i googled a bit about this and i read about Inkscape and problems with CMYK but the strange thing is that making something in RGB that i'll see in another screen it does come out bad like in CMYK when printing, color is practically not even close.Searched here and there for a solution, found out that using color profiles from Adobe it's kind of the solution, didn't try it out yet but did use sRGB color profile in Inkscape and use CMS for pick the color with the linked profile and from screen to screen color is much more accurate, hope it does well with some CMYK profile but i gotta test.
Buntu Bunny
October 7th, 2013, 10:14 AM
. . . but did use sRGB color profile in Inkscape and use CMS for pick the color with the linked profile and from screen to screen color is much more accurate, hope it does well with some CMYK profile but i gotta test.
Do report back. Your results may help others of us.
saurabh5647
March 7th, 2014, 10:47 AM
I recently found a pretty nice desktop publishing software. It's a web application called Lucidpress (http://www.lucidpress.com). Its not open source but its free and quite powerful too. I have personally used it and found it easier and more efficient than Scribus. Also there is one another free software called Spring Publisher but its free version is available for non-commercial use only. You can check this guide (http://www.opensourcealternative.org/alternatives/graphic-editors/open-source-alternative-to-indesign/)for more details. I usually use Inkscape for most of my vector graphics work though.
Buntu Bunny
March 7th, 2014, 12:10 PM
saurabh5647, firstly welcome to the Ubuntu Forums.
Secondly, thank you so much for sharing the information and link. I hadn't heard of Lucidpress and so, was happy to learn about it. Looks like something worth giving a try, although I confess that since I first asked the question which opened this thread, I've learned more about Scribus and how to deal with its quirks. Still, I'm always on the lookout for expanded possibilities. :)
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