why is most publishing directly from InDesign so expensive?

jamesb99 · 09-20-2011, 09:15 AM

There are some alternatives that are free; like [Promotional link removed - MODERATOR] but most - like Adobe and Woodwing are very very expensive (as well as the generic ePub publish stuff). What is it about the channel that means some people can offer it for free like them while others are so costly?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 09-20-2011, 09:29 PM

InDesign is a semi-professional print publishing application. Like most of Adobe's major applications, InDesign is expensive because it does so many things, and because the market can bear the heavy cost (most companies write it off on their taxes). ePub generation was added to it much later, when the product had already been on the market for years.

There is no real value to buying InDesign simply for ePub generation... it is a waste of money. Other apps can do the job as easy or easier, and many of them (as you pointed out) are cheaper, or free. In fact, if you know HTML, you can roll your own and zip it.

Penforhire · 09-20-2011, 09:40 PM

Exactly what Steve said. I use a competing product with a similar price, QuarkXPress, to maintain a catalog at work. These are wickedly complex programs with amazing capabilities (and very strange limitations, lol).

Use InDesign just to make an e-pub? That'd be like using Adobe Photoshop to only make 16x16 pixel icons.

OneandonlyDoc · 09-21-2011, 12:12 PM

Ohgod, Quark (I have such awful memories of that software).

Yeah, if you're looking to make epubs, there's a free option that's linked here on MobileReads. It's called Sigil, and it's pretty easy to use, though it does involve some knowledge of HTML for code troubleshooting on the back end.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 09-21-2011, 02:19 PM

Da Dribbler strikes again... and duly alerts me to the fact that this was, in reality, another sneaky newbie promo thread! Holy blind spot, Batman... how did I not see that?!?

Dr. Drib · 09-21-2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Da Dribbler strikes again... and duly alerts me to the fact that this was, in reality, another sneaky newbie promo thread! Holy blind spot, Batman... how did I not see that?!?

Where are their heads? (A proper sense of decorum prevents me from saying more!)

Don

E. S. Lark · 09-23-2011, 09:57 AM

For ebooks, Indesign isn't really necessary. However, it's one of the better pieces of software if you're planning to format files for print. I admit there is a bit of a learning curve to it, and in the beginning, I figured MS Word was just as good. However, after working with Indesign the last couple of months, I cannot see using anything else.

The way the interior files of my books look is reason enough to put out the funds for the program if you have them. Grant it, you can do most of the formatting in a word processor, but Indesign allows you to do it faster. You can set the font size, line spacing, tracking and use master pages so that some pages have headers (author, title, page number) and some do not, just with a few clicks.

Patty Jansen · 09-24-2011, 10:17 PM

A very steep learning curve, but if you're thinking of doing print formatting, InDesign is where you will eventually head. For simply producing ebooks and nothing else, you don't need it.

That said, I'm glad I have it ;-)

09-20-2011, 09:15 AM	#1
jamesb99 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: iPad	why is most publishing directly from InDesign so expensive? There are some alternatives that are free; like [Promotional link removed - MODERATOR] but most - like Adobe and Woodwing are very very expensive (as well as the generic ePub publish stuff). What is it about the channel that means some people can offer it for free like them while others are so costly? Last edited by Dr. Drib; 09-21-2011 at 05:51 AM.

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09-20-2011, 09:29 PM	#2
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	InDesign is a semi-professional print publishing application. Like most of Adobe's major applications, InDesign is expensive because it does so many things, and because the market can bear the heavy cost (most companies write it off on their taxes). ePub generation was added to it much later, when the product had already been on the market for years. There is no real value to buying InDesign simply for ePub generation... it is a waste of money. Other apps can do the job as easy or easier, and many of them (as you pointed out) are cheaper, or free. In fact, if you know HTML, you can roll your own and zip it.

09-20-2011, 09:40 PM	#3
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Exactly what Steve said. I use a competing product with a similar price, QuarkXPress, to maintain a catalog at work. These are wickedly complex programs with amazing capabilities (and very strange limitations, lol). Use InDesign just to make an e-pub? That'd be like using Adobe Photoshop to only make 16x16 pixel icons.

09-21-2011, 12:12 PM	#4
OneandonlyDoc Fearless Writer Posts: 210 Karma: 375317 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: In a mitten! Device: Kobo Wifi	Ohgod, Quark (I have such awful memories of that software). Yeah, if you're looking to make epubs, there's a free option that's linked here on MobileReads. It's called Sigil, and it's pretty easy to use, though it does involve some knowledge of HTML for code troubleshooting on the back end.

09-21-2011, 02:19 PM	#5
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Da Dribbler strikes again... and duly alerts me to the fact that this was, in reality, another sneaky newbie promo thread! Holy blind spot, Batman... how did I not see that?!?

09-23-2011, 09:57 AM	#7
E. S. Lark Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 500010 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Device: none	For ebooks, Indesign isn't really necessary. However, it's one of the better pieces of software if you're planning to format files for print. I admit there is a bit of a learning curve to it, and in the beginning, I figured MS Word was just as good. However, after working with Indesign the last couple of months, I cannot see using anything else. The way the interior files of my books look is reason enough to put out the funds for the program if you have them. Grant it, you can do most of the formatting in a word processor, but Indesign allows you to do it faster. You can set the font size, line spacing, tracking and use master pages so that some pages have headers (author, title, page number) and some do not, just with a few clicks.

09-24-2011, 10:17 PM	#8
Patty Jansen Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 50528 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: laptop, phone	A very steep learning curve, but if you're thinking of doing print formatting, InDesign is where you will eventually head. For simply producing ebooks and nothing else, you don't need it. That said, I'm glad I have it ;-)

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