questions considering getting cs3

[bravedog]

Hi, I've been assembling a book in Acrobat but am advised by several people to instead use InDesign in spite of learning curve and my limited needs. I am not interested in a Cloud subscription and in fact don't want to spend much so am looking at buying a legal copy of CS3. I understand as the authentication servers have been taken down and it's necessary to download new copy from adobe with new serial number.

1]Assuming I did this, I want specifically to know whether the downloaded version and its serial number would be portable, that is, could be installed on other machines if needed for use during travel, when upgrading computer, etc? Or would this be single machine install only? Thanks

2] most threads indicate CS3 should function fine in Win8 I'm using but interested in reservations anyone has on this

3] I understand newer versions of InDesign should all open files created in CS3. I also wonder if someone with newest version, receiving a file I create in CS3, could easily change to new file version if this would be desired for printing.

4] If I want to create final pdf, I understand this can be done in InDesign, but I also own Acrobat Pro X which I think is newer and wonder if it would be preferable to convert to pdf using that.

I understand I will lose some features using a 10-year-old version like this but believe if there are no issues as listed above, it will be adequate to my needs, and other than problems with functionality am not soliciting comments on newer versions. Thanks!

[BobLevine]

You use the term “I understand” quite a bit, but what you are missing is that a legal copy of any older version is highly unlikely.

How exactly did you think you were going to get one and why pick a version that no longer has activation servers?

And just exactly how are you putting a book together using Acrobat?

[Steve Werner]

What you may also not understand is that it's extremely hard to get CS3 to install on any modern operating system, either Windows or Macintosh.

[Derek Cross]

InDesign CS3 is not available, if you want InDesign you need to subscribe to CC2017/2018. You download the application to (up to two computers) and use it in the normal way with software. There is trial software available.

[bravedog]

"I understand' from information both in my previous thread in Acrobat forum, my google research, and conversation with friends; but this term conveys I am not sure about anything.

Certainly I could get a cracked copy of a new version but prefer legal software. In this situation an old version is affordable. That's why an old version, seems obvious. Probably would get on ebay though amazon and other sources are possible.

Does Adobe have a new policy that license transfer of old versions, etc, is now illegal? If not, CS3 is still legally available.

[Derek Cross]

Do you expect an answer to your dribble?

[bravedog]

Of course answers to my questions would be helpful. Odd tone in this forum.

[Derek Cross]

You are given answers to your question by two distinguished and knowledgeable contributors, Bob Levine and Steve Werner, and your response is to threaten to use an illegal copy of InDesign – what do you expect. Grow up.

[bravedog]

I did the opposite of threaten to use an illegal version. I explained that because I am NOT WILLING to do this, I am looking at a legal version I can afford in spite of it being ancient, and only say this in response to questions of why I am even considering CS3. No, no-one has attempted to answer any of my questions with the exception of the poster who indicated it would be possibly hard to install.

[BobLevine]

I’ll go back to my original response…you’re not likely to find a legal copy of anything that old. PERIOD!

As far as being hard to install, it might actually be impossible on Window 8.

Something else you may be missing is that you can subscribe on a month to month basis. This will give you the most up to date software and allow you to pay for it for only as long as you need it.

[Barb Binder]

Hi bravedog, nothing stopping you from giving it a shot if you can figure out how to proceed, but even if you do find CS3 and get it installed—please note that CS3 still has a steep learning curve, and as previously noted, it is highly unlikely that CS3 will work correctly on modern operating systems. If it doesn't, you are on your own.

Here are two additional avenues you may not have thought of:

1. Have you considered completing the content in Word, and then handing this job over to someone who knows InDesign to handle the layout for you? You might ask your printer for local recommendations.
2. Or for $30 you can license the Cloud version on InDesign for one month, and do it yourself, if that is your preferred path. Just be sure the content is finalized prior to making the purchase, so that you have time to complete the layout within that timeframe.
   Creative Cloud pricing and membership plans | Adobe Creative Cloud

~Barb

[bravedog]

Thanks Barb. Yes Word is another option and I already have it, so maybe I will move to that and just output as pdf not bothering with InDesign at all. Or just stay in acrobat.

Since I pay for my software and don't have much to spend and have been advised to look at InDesign, CS3 looked like a possible avenue. But really feel more trolled than assisted here - not by you Barb. Guess this forum has contempt for people with not much money trying to respect software rights by looking at old versions. So it goes.

[MW Design]

There are other layout applications that will run just fine on (nearly) any Windows version.

PagePlus is probably the bargain right now at about $20. Do note that it is a dead application in that it will no longer be developed by Serif as they are moving on to a new cross-platform set of applications. The Serif forums for their Plus line of software is active with many great folk helping and the Serif employees also pop into threads for aid when needed.

Of course there is QuarkXpress. Currently one can get a version that is two versions back (i.e., version 2015) from a computer magazine in Germany at about a $10 cost. The electronic versions (PDF I believe) carries the redemption code in it. That too is a bargain. And there is an upgrade path from it that is sub-$200.

Viva Designer is an option. There is a free for personal use version that is a bit stripped down. If you need greater functionality than the free version, the Pro paid-for version would be it. I use the Pro version for a couple German clients. It is an odd duck in how it works compared to ID, QXP or PP. But it does work and imports IDML if that is important (and it works reasonably good).

And there is Scribus. But I wouldn't wish it on an enemy. But there are adherents that swear by it (as opposed to swearing at it).

Mike

[Barb Binder]

Hi bravedog,

Everyone here is trying to help—and that means steering you away from such an old application, which is bound to cause more problems than it solves. If you go back and re-read the responses, that is the message everyone is trying to convey.

What I meant by finalizing the file in Word is that most people continue to use Word for typing and editing, even after they have purchased and learned InDesign. Once the text is finalized, they place the Word document in InDesign for formatting. I don't know what your book looks like, and while there are certainly exceptions, many books are primarily text, flowing from page to page which is a fairly simple layout.

If you decide to consider a 1-month subscription—which is my recommendation—I was encouraging you to get the text finalized prior to starting InDesign. That gives you 4 weeks to figure out how to set up your document, flow the text and export to PDF. Five weeks if you use the trial for the first week, and then license the software when it expires. What you don't want to do is think that you will have plenty of time to learn InDesign and do the layout, while simultaneously refining the content. Finalize the content first.

~Barb

[bravedog]

Thanks MW Design, that is all quite interesting and I will check them out! Probably I will want final export as pdf and if this shouldn't be a problem for some reason [like not being adobe products] this may well be the way to go!

[BobLevine]

Something else you may be unaware of…Adobe does not own the PDF format. They turned it over to ISO a long, long time ago.

[MW Design]

You're welcome, BD.

I've produced PDFs for print and online usage from them all throughout the years. All have been proper PDFs that pass preflighting by Acrobat, pdftoolbox, online print establishments' automatic checking systems, etc.

The only function missing from all of them would be a proper accessibility tagged PDF, but as I have never gotten one out of ID that I didn't have to work on in Acrobat, I don't see that as a big loss. With the exception of Scribus (though I haven't used the latest version) all of them produce PDF/X-4 and down to the common PDF/X-1a and at the various non-PDF/X levels. I've had stuff printed by big publishing houses to obscure little places here in the US, in Europe, China, Africa etc. In short, they are fine PDFs.

These days PDF creation mostly all comes down to the person building the publication more so than what is used to publish to PDF.

Mike

[MW Design]

Barb gave great advice for how to proceed using Word in combination with the trail version and the monthly rental of ID. I would encourage you, once you get to the InDesign stage, to rent for a single month but budget for 2 months in the possible eventuality you don't get done. While there is no difference financially in renting for one month and doing so for another month, mentally if you budget for 2 months it won't be as disappointing if it spills over to another rent period.

I would also encourage you to utilize text styles for everything in Word. That applies no matter the eventual layout application. And it really doesn't matter if you change the styles to appear nicer in Word. It doesn't really matter if you make the Word file be presented like you would like in would like in ID because you can alter those styles once in ID. What matters is you use paragraph and/or character styles in Word period.

This will make the import into ID go much smoother because even if you make the Word styles more presentable, you will likely need to alter them in ID anyway in all likelihood. Once in ID, there is a lot of work to do depending on what the Word file is like. And while if you go this route you don't need to have a current subscription, it would behoove you to familiarize yourself with how ID works. There are some decent books on this subject and the oft recommended one is Sandee Cohen's Visual QuickStart Guide. It would be use before and during the actual ID work and at least you will have a better idea of ID's terms and procedures.

If you are going to use a Print On Demand print establishment to self-publish, Word alone is fine as long as you set it up for the requisite page sizes. PODs get fed Word documents every day and it works just fine.

If this is being picked up by a traditional publisher, they are not going to want your layout help in ID. They just want the Word file. So no rental/purchase required. They will tell you what to supply and may even have a template with styles they want you to use (none I have sent work to have cared).

Good luck. Oh, and don't forget that if you go the ID route, there is plenty of aid here on the forum. Even the people that may have ruffled your feathers are good folk and are here to help people overcome their challenges with ID. It's what they do.

Mike

[bravedog]

Thanks MW lots of good helpful stuff.

I am disinclined to subscription of ID for various reasons, but thanks to those clarifying this option. I won't self-publish any hard copy, so yes the product would be for submission to outside hard copy publishers. Your thought that in this case just finalizing in Word might be fine, has appeal. Easy to go from there to pdf if places prefer that.

I think I may have been pointed to ID because this book I'm assembling has a lot of very large images suitable for hard copy print and in an earlier thread elsewhere about how to deal with this issue - I'm leaning toward manually making low-res copies of all images as stand-ins so the book document doesn't become unworkably large for my home computer - ID may have good options in this regard.

I have completed all text in txt files per chapter and all needed images and just want to assemble something acceptable for submission with the understanding real layout can be done by any eventual publisher.

[MW Design]

Your life is made easier going with a traditional publisher if that works out. Once a publisher wants your title, do check with them what they desire. You may need to make changes in the Word file, but usually not except for the general, initial editing. Even that may not happen. It depends on the publisher and their editors and how well written the document is.

A typical publisher will want the Word file with proxy images (the lower res versions) in place for context purposes. They will want the Word file and the higher-res versions of the file. The last publisher I did work for that only wanted such things wanted the image captions to contain the file name for the high-res version.

Good luck! It's hard to get a traditional publisher to pick up a title.

Mike

[bravedog]

Thanks! Yes, I'm not too optimistic but want to give it a shot and don't consider it impossible. It really would be great with proper high-res images possible only in hard copy, but I'll put it up low-res on amazon as an ebook myself if not. The latter I don't need assistance with.

[jane-e]

A couple of more things about CS3, BraveDog:

• Later versions can save into IDML (InDesign Markup Language), which can be opened in CS4 or later—but not as far back as CS3.

• If you do decide to buy an older version, try to confirm that it is not pirated. There are lots of horror stories about people who think they are buying a legimate used copy and it does bad things. Be very careful.

• If you can find a legal copy, try to get at least CS6, which is the last non-Cloud version.

• Also, my dad still has CS3 on his older Mac, and never upgraded because it suited his purposes quite well. If he were to decide to sell it, for example, it would be a legal copy and not pirated. But check your source.

Best of luck!

~ Jane

[BobLevine]

It would also require both parties to fill out and submit paperwork to Adobe and would be tied to a specific platform.

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

I am not sure if anyone addressed your actual questions!  I snipped your questions and answered in bullets.

bravedog  wrote

0) Hi, I've been assembling a book in Acrobat

• Acrobat is not and has never been for creating. Your should create elsewhere and then make the PDF. I don't know what you mean by "assemble".

1]  could be installed on other machines if needed for use during travel, when upgrading computer, etc?

• Your license includes two machines--both have to be the same platform through CS6. You can deactivate and then activate another computer.

2] most threads indicate CS3 should function fine in Win8

• I am Mac and will leave that to others

3] I understand newer versions of InDesign should all open files created in CS3.

• I have opened InDesign files from CS2. Once saved in a newer version, though, you can't go back. IDML only goes back to CS4.

4] If I want to create final pdf, I understand this can be done in InDesign,

• Best practice is from InDesign, select File > Export > and choose your settings for making the best PDF for your needs.
• If you go to Word, use the Acrobat tab. Again, check the settings in Acrobat Prefences, then click Create from the tab.
• If there are changes, make them in the source document and make a new PDF.

5) other than problems with functionality am not soliciting comments on newer versions.

• Just that if you have at least CS4, someone can save in back to IDML so you can open it. And CS6 is the last version out of the box. (You've heard the warnings, so I won't repeat them!)

Best of luck,

Jane

[bravedog]

Thanks!