Good, Bad, or Indifferent?
In November 2009, Quark introduced Quark Promote, an online shop for small businesses that need brochures, business cards, letterhead, postcards, or other marketing materials. Customers can choose from free customizable templates; download a Windows-only template editor (no QuarkXPress necessary); and make the desired changes, such as business name and address. Quark Promote then either prints the materials and mails them to the customer, or sends the files to a local print shop.

While I can see why some small business owners would like the service, I'm surprised that Quark risked alienating its traditional clients: graphic designers. The company does throw designers a bone in the form of YourOwnDesigner, a directory of designers for hire. The idea is that customers who don't see what they need in the existing templates will then turn to the directory. However, I could find YourOwnDesigner mentioned in only one place on Quark Promote.

Quark is also soliciting new templates from designers using QuarkXPress 8. I don't have the inside scoop on what happens once you enter into such a deal.

What do you think of Quark Promote? Good for designers? No skin off your nose? Will you submit a template and see how it goes? Speak up at www.creativepro.com/node/65664.

Terri Stone - Editor in Chief

Scanning Around With Gene: Funny, That Doesn’t Sound Like Me
Since the birth of audio recording, office recording devices have been through a lot of changes in their technology, their looks, and their names. But no matter how it's recorded, aren't you always surprised by your own voice? Read to the end for a Gene Gable bonus image: the first video iPod -- from the 1960s!

How to Solve Typographic Widows and Orphans
Short and misplaced lines -- known as widows and orphans -- are layout problems, but James Felici is here with typographic solutions.

The first paragraph below has a hyphenated widow; bad in itself, it is also so short that it barely covers the 2-em paragraph indent below it. A second widow appears at the end of the third paragraph. These need to be fixed.

Related Reading: More about widows, orphans, and other text no-nos.

TypeTalk: Type on a Curve
Setting type on a curving path can alter the balance and relationships between characters, so you need to give it a little extra TLC. For example, the type below is correctly spaced:

But place that same type on a curved path and the spacing becomes uneven and too open in some places:

Why Market to Current and Past Clients?
Save yourself time, money, and stress with Jeanna Pool's marketing tips.

You Need These Photo Filters
Ben Long says that the Tiffen Dfx Suite, with its 1,000+ truly useful image-editing filters, is an excellent buy for photographers of landscapes, events, portraits, and weddings. However, there are three versions: one standalone, and two plug-ins to other software. Which one should you get, and why?

Before Ben applied one of the Dfx filters, this headshot had a dull, flat background:

Enjoy Excellent Photography While Supporting Haiti & the Red Cross

Online Help for Color and Paper Choices

Web Site Testing Service Adds Features

Make Your Own Tabletop Letterpress

40% Off Markzware Products Through January 31

This site documents the sometimes funny, sometimes bizarre things said by the site creator's "mild-mannered English husband" -- while he's sound asleep.

www.creativeprose-wacky-web-site-week-archive

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