🚀 go-pugleaf

>From the perspective of an amateur at both (me), programming and
>computer typesetting (not book design) are good parallels.  An amateur
>can reasonably expect to rival a professional in a limited domain of
>interest, but will not be so facile or able to articulate what he does
>or what needs to be done.

From the perspective of a professional computer person (11 years) and a
semi-professional publisher, let me just remind folks that it's really easy
to learn a programming language, but not nearly as easy to become a
professional programmer in it. There is a *big* difference between writing a
"hello world" or a few hacks for your own use and writing a CAD package that
gets sold on the open market.

It's the same in design. It's pretty easy to get the first 50% and be able
to lay out a book or a technical report that isn't ugly (these are, by the
way, the easy parts of graphic design). There's a big difference between
laying out a 50 page technical report and laying out a magazine, or an
advertisement, or any of the complicated projects. There is a big difference
between a publication who's design purpose is to not be so ugly people
notice it and a publication that is designed to attract and focus attention.

As long as all you're trying to do is not be ugly, graphic design is fairly
easy. It's when you take the next step that life gets interesting. 


Chuq Von Rospach      =|=     Editor,OtherRealms     =|=     Member SFWA/ASFA
         chuq@apple.com   =|=  CI$: 73317,635  =|=  AppleLink: CHUQ
      [This is myself speaking. No company can control my thoughts.]

You are false data. Therefore I shall ignore you.