The Fascinating World Of Desktoppublishing History

Desktop publishing history begins in the 1980s, when a number of computer innovations and revolutions paved the way for the more powerful computers and programs necessary for desktop publishing applications. One of the most important events in desktop publishing history was the 1985 development of Aldus PageMaker, which eventually became Adobe PageMaker. Most people consider this the first true desktop publishing software. Aldus Corporation founder Paul Brainerd, even is believed to have developed the term "desktop publishing." Other innovations in desktop publishing history include the 1984 debut of the Apple Macintosh, a personal computer that for the first time was user-friendly enough and powerful enough to allow for applications that were initial desktop publishing programs. In 1984 as well, Hewlett-Packard produced the LaserJet, known as the first desktop laser printer. This was an important even in desktop publishing history as it allowed users to print higher-quality documents than had preciously been possible. In 1985, another milestone in desktop publishing history was passed, as Adobe introduced PostScript, which allowed for professional typesetting. In 1985, Apple computers introduced the LaserWriter, laser printer containing PostScript. By 1987, Windows users could use PageMaker. By 1990, when Microsoft introduced Windows 3.0, graphic user interfaces, better monitors and more intuitive computer programs allowed users to create more professional documents more easily. From this moment, desktop publishing history proceeded very rapidly. Most notably, many new types of desktop publishing software applications were introduced from small start up companies to major software manufacturers. Improved colors on monitors and in printers allowed even home computer users to create better-quality documents. WYSIWYG programs or "what you see is what you get" programs took the guess work out of desktop publishing, so that users of these programs needed less expertise to produce great-looking documents. These programs automated many functions, making desktop publishing easier

and faster than every before. At the same time, desktop publishing history changed again as programs began dealing not only with fonts and images, but increasingly with multimedia as well. Desktop publishing now has to do as much with photos and moving images as with still pictures and text. The Internet also became increasingly important to desktop publishing history, as users could now download their software and upload completed documents more easily than ever before. A number of websites, including desktoppublishing.com (developed in 1995), allowed users to discuss desktop publishing in forums and allowed users to gets hints and tips for various applications.