Quark Forums

We are watching what you have to say about our products and we are equally eager to make a difference on the service/support side. We have inititated new policies and product configurations based on customer requests and would value more input to bring about new and better policies/procedures/etc. for Quark customers...please share your ideas with us!

Hope to see your thoughts on this topic soon,

Darcy

Free support is a great idea, however three times I have been asked to email a file and have NEVER heard back from Quark on any of these issues.

I made a suggestion to Quark several months ago...heard nothing, so I'm sceptical about suggesting things because nothing seems to happen.

In case someone reads this from Quark, my suggestion is that Quark should produce a free application (similar to Acrobat Reader) which reads Quark files but can only do limited work on them, such as updating text, cutting overmatter etc etc. You wuldn't be able to create new files or draw anything but it would save us hours of timewasting toing and froing with clients.

Your suggestions are in the spotlight with Product Management as I type. Keep 'em coming!

Andy Smith:

In case someone reads this from Quark, my suggestion is that Quark should produce a free application (similar to Acrobat Reader) which reads Quark files but can only do limited work on them...

Well, if you want something that reads Quark files and displays them like Acrobat, then the obvious solution would be to output your Quark files to a .pdf.

Subsetting Quark's functionality into a smaller application would open a huge can of worms. Where do you draw the line? Most of the processor and memory expensive stuff in Quark would still need to be there (spellcheck, reflow, redraw), so the application wouldn't have much smaller of a footprint. It would almost be like just removing a few of the menu items. What would be gained?

How about putting the 800.676.4575 customer service phone number prominently on the Quark homepage? Heck, or even not prominently...

http://www.designinterchange.com/quark-cs.jpg

If they do this I hope they regionalise it - I'm in the UK. :wink: Mind you, given the goofs over the links to the 7.3 download I'd not be surprised if the phone number publilshed was for Quark's favourite Pizza house! :lol:

Well yeah, regionialization is good. I suppose it could do some queries on the IP making the http request and determine where you're viewing the site from, and dynamically put up the phone # for your region.

"Well, if you want something that reads Quark files and displays them like Acrobat, then the obvious solution would be to output your Quark files to a .pdf. "

Please don't insult my intelligence.

I spend eight hours a day writing .pdf files from Quark. Once I send the proofs to my clients they send back .pdf files with loads of corrections (despite them saying the text they originally sent was the final, final version... does this ring a bell with anyone?)

What would be great for me would be for me to be able to send the client a 'mini-quark' file in which they could edit the text, cut lines etc and send it back for me to tidy up. They wouldn't be able to edit the page, the images could be minimised or shadowed (no need for redraw) there would be no spell check necessary etc etc.

I don't want to keep sending them Acrobat (ie AN ADOBE PRODUCT!!!!) files backwards and forwards.

Maybe it's not possible to create a free 'Quark Reader'... maybe I'm just wishful thinking, it can't be done, I should not bother coming up with suggestions for Quark PLC. But it would be brilliant for my work and would be a good thing for my clients, I'm sure Quark's reputation would go up. But hey...

Adobe Reader 8 allows clients to mark up a PDF for corrections for free. You need to enable this ability in your exported PDF files with Acrobat 8 Pro.

The type of editing that you are describing is not suited for a free app when Quark already sells QuarkCopyDesk and Adobe sells InCopy. Imagine how such a free app could be exploited by a mutli-authoring environment like a newspaper or magazine.

Jim - I didn't even know QuarkCopyDesk existed! It certainly doesn't seem to be pushed by Quark, but would seem to address Andy’s needs exactly:

"Writers and editors open an exported article in QuarkCopyDesk and view the layout exactly as the artist designed it. Although they can view all of the graphic elements (which are exported as page pictures), only the text is editable. This ensures the design will not be inadvertently altered as the article is passed among reviewers."

Personally, the last thing I would klike to happen to my workflow os having "un Quark savvy" individuals messing with my Quark docs. even if only the text gets affected, plenty headaches could still be generated by this.

For me, having to revised what they did and ensuring they have put all the proper spaces and did not messup my styles sheets, etc. would simply be more work than applying the correction myself. Besides, while I aggree that "Final text" does seem to bare a different meaning form on eperson to the next, I doubt thoss corrections are massive enough to upset the harm these people can do your layout...

Know what you mean, but it's not true. Have you ever used Copy Desk? I have and it's brilliant, style sheets can't be changed etc...

But maybe I'm arguing for a CopyDesk Lite...? How about a cheap version???

(Let me know when I'm flogging a dead horse)

You have to remember you are getting paid for the work you are doing, which I am assuming includes corrections and additional corrections at all stages of the work flow of the job.

Do you only get paid for the layout????

Do you want say to clients "Here is a program so you can do youself"

I'd guess they would be thinking, doesn't he want my work, if he wants me to do this myself, then maybe I will do the whole job and save money, instead of paying someone who is not interested.

I say bring on the corrections...they know they have to pay for them.

Geez, send the work to me if you don't want it

thanks for the comments, would be interested to know what suggestions you're making to Quark...