As word-processing programs become more and more powerful, the line separating such programs from desktop publishing systems is becoming blurred. In general, though, desktop publishing applications give you more control over typographical characteristics, such as kerning, and provide more support for full-color output.

A particularly important feature of desktop publishing systems is that they enable you to see on the display screen exactly how the document will appear when printed. Systems that support this feature are called WYSIWYGs (what you see is what you get).

Until recently, hardware costs made desktop publishing systems impractical for most uses. But as the prices of personal computers and printers have fallen, desktop publishing systems have become increasingly popular for producing newsletters, brochures, books, and other documents that formerly required a typesetter.

Once you have produced a document with a desktop publishing system, you can output it directly to a printer or you can produce a PostScript file which you can then take to a service bureau. The service bureau has special machines that convert the PostScript file to film, which can then be used to make plates for offset printing. Offset printing produces higher-quality documents, especially if color is used, but is generally more expensive than laser printing.

Desktop Publishing Superpage 
A comprehensive set of links to desktop publishing resources including clip art, and graphics, software and hardware, FAQs, tips and techniques, and trade related associations.

desktopPublishing.com home page 
desktopPublishing.com offers a comprehensive collection of resources for both the desktop publisher and Web designer. Some categories include graphics, backgrounds, software and hardware, fonts, Java, and magazines.

desktopPublishing.com resource page 
Offers numerous links to every aspect of desktop publishing. A few categories include: clip art, graphics, and image, computer related magazines, newsgroups, FAQs, file and FTP archives, and desktop publishing software information. A very good resource for desktop publishing professionals.

FreeHand professional tips & tricks 
Offers a collection of links to assorted tips and tricks, working with colors, exporting to other applications, third-party software reviews, and related Web sites.

Publish RGB - Desktop publishing magazine 
This monthly magazine is an excellent resource for both desktop and electronic publishing featuring news articles, software reviews, tips, tool reviews, and industry news.

Adobe Systems home page
Adobe's home page offers links to their popular line of desktop publishing products, including Photoshop, PageMaker, FrameMaker, Illustrator, and PostScript. There are also links to company news and information, support and services, free software, and tips and techniques.

CorelNET
This user site hosts a collection of information on graphics, publishing and office productivity products from Corel Corporation. Users will find links to moderated discussion areas, tips, tutorials, news, a download area, numerous Web related resources, and Corel product and company information.

Design Tools Monthly newsletter
The Design Tools Monthly site offers a download link to a free sample issue of their newsletter and disk. The monthly newsletter summarizes important stories from trade magazines for MAC-based graphic designers and the disk contains every free update and bug fix for software commonly used by graphic designers. It also has useful new utilities and plug-ins.

Desktop publishing tips
Contains tips on desktop publishing from a sales representative for a commercial printer. It describes tips on how to insure that the elements in your electronic files are applied to the print version.

DTP / HTML Tutorials
Compilation of tutorial and lesson pages relating to desktop publishing and HTML. Also includes related links, utilities and downloadable graphics.

Guide to Desktop Publishing on the Net
Offers tutorials, reviews, editorials, and an annotated resource list. Articles cover topics such as choosing page layout software, using or modifying clip art, finding and using free fonts, and DTP measurement systems. This site is updated weekly.

Quark Products
List of products available from Quark.

Corel Corporation home page
Corel's home page offers a search utility for locating product information, links to news, company information, a resource center, beta programs, conferences and tradeshow information, and service and support information.