A Brief History of Pagemaker: The Evolution of Desktop Publishing

Pagemaker, a pioneering desktop publishing software, has been a part of the publishing industry for over three decades. Its journey began with its first release in 1985 by Aldus Corporation on the Apple Macintosh. Since then, it has undergone numerous updates and transformations, shaping the course of desktop publishing.

The early days of Pagemaker

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In 1986, Aldus released Pagemaker 1.2 for Macintosh, which introduced support for PostScript fonts built into LaserWriter Plus or downloaded to other output devices' memory. This feature was a significant milestone in the evolution of desktop publishing. The same year, Pagemaker won a Codie award for Best New Use of a Computer.

Aldus Pagemaker 2.0 was released in 1987 and made its way to Digital Equipment's VAXstation computers. In October 1986, a version of Pagemaker became available for Hewlett-Packard's HP Vectra computers. The program's popularity continued to grow, and it remained a major force in the high-end DTP market through the early 1990s.

The rise of competition

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However, by the mid-1990s, PageMaker faced increasing competition from QuarkXPress on Macintosh and Ventura on PC. By the end of the decade, its dominance began to wane. Adobe's acquisition of Aldus in 1994 marked a significant turning point for Pagemaker.

Adobe takes over

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After acquiring most of Aldus' assets, including PageMaker, Adobe released version 6 of the software in 1994. This move phased out the Aldus name and introduced new features to the program.

The significance of PostScript support

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A key component that contributed to Pagemaker's success was its native support for Adobe Systems' PostScript page description language. This feature helped popularize both the Macintosh platform and Windows environment.

Porting to PCs and revolutionizing desktop publishing

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In 1987, PageMaker was ported to PCs running Windows 1.0, making it one of the first software programs to bridge the gap between Apple's Macintosh and Microsoft's Windows platforms. This move played a significant role in popularizing both platforms.

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Pagemaker's journey has been marked by innovation, adaptation, and transformation. From its early days as a pioneering desktop publishing software to its later years as part of Adobe's suite of products, Pagemaker has left an indelible mark on the publishing industry. Its legacy continues to inspire new generations of designers, publishers, and technologists.

References:

* Aldus Corporation. (1985). PageMaker 1.0 for Macintosh.

* Aldus Corporation. (1986). PageMaker 1.2 for Macintosh.

* Adobe Systems Incorporated. (1994). PageMaker 6.0.

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