The Print Shop Deluxe For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers))

A longstanding favorite among teachers, parents, and those tasked with boosting office morale, The Print Shop Deluxe can't be beat as a simple tool for creating posters, banners, calendars, and other cool stuff to hang on walls. The Print Shop Deluxe for Dummies, your ticket to learning to use this tool, is typical of the Dummies series in that no prior knowledge is assumed (other than a general familiarity with Windows), but the book manages to avoid coming across as condescending. It acknowledges that smart people can have a hard time figuring out software, and proceeds to show you what you need to know. It's funny too!

In a typical section, you learn how to create greeting cards. The terms the software uses to describe different kinds of cards (quarter-fold, half-fold, and so on) are explained, and then you find out how to use the QuickLayout features to generate a card in a hurry. (Forgetters of anniversaries, take note.) You learn how to create a card from scratch, including borders, graphics, and text (which you can choose from the hilariously named Sentiment Gallery if you can't come up with your own bon mot). A sequences of numbered steps (with tips) shows the project at various points during the creation process. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use The Print Shop Deluxe for Microsoft Windows. Sections address particular kinds of publications suited to The Print Shop, including banners, certificates, business cards, forms, newsletters, and fancy stuff like coffee cups and T-shirts. An eight-page color section shows how The Print Shop works with color.