Expert: James Fritz - 4/29/2009

Question
QUESTION: I want to buy Indesign so I can publish an art book. But I also need a program that makes pdf files so I can submit advertisements for our gallery, which I'm told I should buy Adobe Acrobat. If I buy Indesign, do I still need to buy Adobe acrobat? or does Indesign do most everything Acrobat does in addition to providing publishing features? Also I use Dreamweaver now to build my website, which I know is no longer made. Can I build websites with Indesign?

Thanks for your help,
Soren

ANSWER: Soren,

InDesign can export excellent PDFs, therefore there is no need to purchase Acrobat to create the PDF. The only reason you would want acrobat would be if you wanted to edit the PDF.

In regards to websites, Dreamweaver is still being made, but it is owned by Adobe now (same as InDesign). InDesign CS4 can kind of make a website with its flash export, but you would need to know flash. Dreamweaver would be your best bet for websites.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi James,

Just a quick follow-up. I'm a little confused about one thing. If I can create a pdf file using Indesign, why can't it also be used to edit pdf files? I guess I'm a little confused about the distinction between creating a file and editing a file.

Soren

Answer
You can't edit the pdf file because InDesign isn't made to edit pdf files. If you want to make a change, go back to the original InDesign file and make you edits, then export out a new pdf.

Think of it this way. You take a photo with a camera, and edit the photo with photoshop. You can't edit the photo on the camera. If you need another photo, you go back to the camera and take a new one.

Same thing with InDesign.