🚀 go-pugleaf

I am the editor of a university newspaper that publishes 33 issues a year,
ranging from 20-36 11x17 pages an issue. Currently we are using a CompSet
Varityper typesetter for our typesetting. We are thinking about buying a
desktop publishing system. We already have a DTP black and white monitor,
and do all our text inputting using IBM-standard computers. I have used
Ventura 1.1, and think it would be suitable for our application. I don't
think we would want to do all of our layout on-screen, as it would be fairly
difficult for our constantly changing volunteer staff, and also mean that not
as many of them could get hands-on experience in layout. We would probably
want to continue generating one and two column strips of text, just as we do
with our typesetter, and then paste them up. The Varityper prints at 1200
dots per inch, and we would want to buy a printer with a similar
quality output. I don't think 300 dpi would meet our needs! 

What I'm looking for is some advice on the following topics
with respect to cost, ease of use, maintenance etc.: 
1) IBM dtp software
2) printers
3) similar applications

You can mail me direct at imprint@watmath.waterloo.edu

Thanks
Fleur Macqueen