Comment on Microsoft Will Be Ending Support For This Popular Software In October 2026 - SlashGear
Powderhorn@beehaw.org 4 days ago
Popular? I mean, really? Quark wasn’t even popular, but at least you could get shit done with it. Then, of course, InDesign swooped in (Adobe gave us free copies at the 2003 SND conference … they weren’t fucking around with trying to change the software we used). But no one liked Quark to start, and it was expensive as fuck, so everyone was like “let’s switch to a different monopoly, as it will be better.”
What puzzles me is why MS made Publisher in the first place. It was less capable than fucking Aldus PageMaker, arrived at the wrong time and was never widely adopted. This is more like putting your dog down after it started running into walls.
They didn’t make Publisher, it had been around for a few years before they acquired it.
At the time (early 90’s), DTP was growing, fast. Publisher was stupid cheap compared to Aldus and Quark and could do all the day-to-day stuff for a fraction of the cost (and faster).
I was using all 3 at the time, and my go-to was Publisher as it was easier, and way faster on the hardware then.
I’d use PageMaker for multi-page, ongoing docs, but a single page? Publisher.
MS acquired Pub around 1995.
bryndos@fedia.io 4 days ago
In my experience in work there are thousands of documents written in powerpoint or MS word that should be done in DTP software. Fuck the way people abuse text boxes in word. Most people just don't know they have it, or have to request it from IT, and remember what their budget code is, even though it's probably included in their license. I won't use it because of no one else knows they can get it; I'd be giving them all an excuse never to edit the document and they'd just commission me to make all changes in it, forever. They'd probably use it as an excuse not to read the document either.
Similar problem with Visio, people using smart art in ppt to create what should be a flowchart.
Unfortunately i cant not use visio, and no one else will ever request it, because they're arseholes'.
I agree there is better software available - but non specialist businesses are unlikely to procure that, so publisher is basically the only option. And once publisher is available the business case for anything better becomes harder to make.
MS is rarely the best for any specialist use, but I think they just wanted office to tick a load of boxes for generalist procurement so it wins "vfm" choice for procurement teams who don't care or know what their users need. As long as office is the defacto choice for businesses, they've achieved their goal.
I guess they've realised publisher was never really a material factor in office suite choice.