#9: First thank you for your contribution. I agree 100% with everything you said. However, I strongly disagree with your sentence "It is more likely targeted against other entry-level layout packages such as Serif’s PagePlus desktop publishing / layout package, although Serif is actually more capable than SlimPublisher".

To even place Serif PagePlus in the same sentence as SlimPublisher is an insult to Serif. There is night and day difference between those two programs. Though not as popular in the US, Serif has domination in Europe. I have used both MS Publisher and MS Word and I, personally, find PagePlus to be much better and easier to use. PagePlus is certainly NOT an entry-level desktop publishing program! SlimPublisher is not even in the same category!

SlimPublisher interface reminds me more of the older Broderbund version 2 Card Maker (or whatever it was called back then when they came on 3½" floppy disks.

One look at this software and I uninstalled it. (took me a few tries to even find where the program itself even was as it didn't automatically Setup!).

But thanks to the GAOTD staff for their varied selection of software programs. I am sure there are many followers who may actually like and enjoy today's program.

I couldn't find anywhere to enter the registration key either? Can you tell me how to do that?

@9 BruceM

Thanks so much for your thoughts and the time you took to share them. I share your opinion of the fine people you mentioned! Thanks go out to all of them and too you! I never post because I just don't have what it takes to do a good review in the limited time you have to do so.

To the fine people like Ashraf and Giovanni remember God, Family and Country. Ashraf you will never hear any static from me for taking care of your family over providing what I view as great reviews here. I will miss your reviews but I would rather not have your family missing you -that applies to Ashraf and Giovanni or any of the other fine commenters I have come to know here.

Thanks to all of you who have helped me understand the wide world of computing and have helped developers improve their product so that the likes of me are interested.

May God bless you
tonbuyer

For those who wish to create a PDF file from pretty well any program that prints just look under “print to pdf” in Google and you will find many freeware downloads that will do it.
If you are unfamiliar with these programs they generally work in the following way, after installation when you go to print you'll see your selected PDF printer in the list, when used it will print it as a PDF file to your hard drive.

Dear Community,
I am writing this comment because I red comments complaining about the place to install the today giveaway software and the errors that followed.

This is my experience: - On Win XP Pro SP2 x32
- The file setup.exe open the (archive SFX) file setup.exe from setup.gcd
- You can write the path where the archive SFX will extract it's content or you can choose the place with the help of the button 'Browse'.
- In that location you will find a new file named 'SlimPublisher.msi' + you can move it wherever you want.
- I started the installer 'SlimPublisher.msi' and it chose the default path to install (mine - E:\Program Files\SlimPublisher\)
- At the end of the installment, the software informed me that I should use the Automatic Update to update the .NET framework. - I did not do that.
- I have started the program from the Desktop shortcut and registered the program.

I hope this is helpful for those who need it.

PS: I never had problems with the files made archive SFX and given by GOTD, with the sole exceptions when many members of the community complained that the setup.exe and setup.gcd were already corrupted. Also, my WinXP is not in VM but the first and only OS installed on my laptop.

One comment.............This is excellent software.

Simple, easy to use interface.

I created all my business documentation with this program.

I love desktop publishing, but have never found a program as versatile as WordPerfect. I have every version since 2.0 (1994 from Novell). Hence, I am passing on this one. However, I wanted to add my two cents because it is relevant to the publisher's puffery.

As one who has worked with more than 500 companies, whenever I get a business card that was printed "at home", no matter how talented the presenter, it is immediately filed in the circular file next to my desk. Nothing says you don't understand business like a home printed business card--especially deskjet ones.

Stationary is not as bad. Since most print shops require Photoshop (an excessively over-priced, overly complicated, unintuitive, under-performing software) originals, print shops are nearly impossible to work with and not in the loop. They can't do what I can do with WP. With a good laser printer, nice letterhead can be done acceptably. Also the best looking print inks don't fair well with the heat of a laser printer. Again, print industry blindness to reality.

But, hey, check this offering out. FYI: WordPerfect is not freeeware, nor shareware. And pricey. ~$175USD ©2014

I do a lot of desktop publishing, with MS Publisher as my software of choice. So I was definitely interested in trying out SlimPublisher 4.0. I made sure it installed into Program Files, and it was good to go within minutes. However, I soon realized I had played with this software's previous version and had been unimpressed. This may be a good starter software for someone trying to launch a home-based business, but it is very limited in what it offers, unless you are willing to spend the time developing custom templates. If I am going to do that, I am going to invest my time into something that has a more professional look.

The good: It has matched sets of business cards, envelopes and stationery. The bad: It doesn't provide more options for other printed items and is very limited in what it can offer.

I think this is a good starter program if you are trying to market yourself as a home-based business, but it is not very useful to me in the corporate world.

Look today's giveaway of Slim Publisher http://www.binarynow.com/products/slimpublisher/ looks identical to Spring Publisher http://www.springpublisher.com/

The developers have made some odd choices with this program. When I tried it out I decided to use a new blank project rather than using a template. I picked the type as 'Letterhead' and the standard as 'International' and the program gave me the document size as 8.3 x 11.7 inches. I had to think for a moment before saying to myself, 'Oh, they mean A4.' Even stranger, when I changed the standard to 'American', I got a document size of 8.503938 x 10.98425 inches. Presumably that's meant to be US Letter size, 8.5 x 11 inches. It looks as if for US sizes inches have been converted to millimetres, rounded off and converted back to inches, but European sizes have just been converted from millimetres to inches and rounded off. (If anyone can explain how this came about, it's probably better for my sanity that you don't tell me.) And there's no way to change the units of measurement, it's inches, like it or lump it.

Then after creating your document, in the properties bar on the right of the screen the size of any object you add to the page is given in pixels. For a program that is for producing printed documents, this is bizarre. Any other page layout program I've seen uses inches / millimetres, and I've never seen any other program that didn't give font size in points.

Sorry, BinaryNow, this program just goes against the usual Windows standards for no apparent reason. Give the usual name of the paper size rather than the size in inches, rounded off, converted, rounded off again, etc...; let the user choose the measurements. There's probably a good program in there wanting to come out.

#12, Miroir Acrylique, thanks for the corrected link for v3.1.

The User Manual for this version -- v4.0 -- is here: http://downloads.binarynow.com/SlimPublisher_4_User_Manual.pdf.

This giveaway also includes 50% off PDF Impress (3 users). PDFIMPRESS3 coupon code need to be applied in shopping cart.
This will add PDF export, or better say will allow any application which can print create PDF file. Trial seems work fine with SlimPublisher. Does anyone has experience with PDF Impress to share? It seems overpriced as PDF export for SlimPublisher, but on the other side, it has PDF tools for editing, watcher and work with any application, seems like a good deal for a general PDF creation software.

@16 ...
probably means he's using software like Wondershare Time Freeze 2 ... or other many similar... which prevent changes / writes ..to your hard drive ... unless you specifically allow files to be written to the hard drive ... which means that when you reboot your system... it goes back 100% to the way it was pre boot and all temp files.. or files installed or written... disappear as if never occurred..

#16: The person in comment one always installs every program into a virtual machine. So in that case, you really can just reboot the virtual machine, and remove that image or just rollback to before the program was installed.

@13 Claudia

Normally the nuisance Themida wrapper erases all files after install and you can't find this msi file afterwards. In between you normally can't find the real setups or msi neither because that's the function of this upblown Themida software (about 10 MB).

For newcomers: Windows has got a search function. Go to "My Computer" at your desktop or via Start button. Click at the partition you want to search. In this case search for *.msi and windows will show you after some time all msi files on this partition. Now choose the appropriate file(s) and erase it or whatever you like.

@everybody

And there is the free open-source-software Scribus:
"Professional layout and publishing software supporting EPS and SVG import/export, and PDF support. [GNU GPL]"

http://www.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus
(Download - ‎Scribus Documentation - ‎About - ‎Scribus Wiki)
for Windows, Linux and many others.

Sorry, no reason for me to try SlimPublisher 4.0. Thanks anyway.

And thanks to BruceM and many others for all comments. This one I liked even more :-)
(By the way I'm here since many years but have changed my pseudo when I got the impression that some censor in contrast to all nice moderators cancelled my comments one time too often. As I like most people here instead of changing to another forum I only changed my pseudo and it did the trick.)

Business cards?

Try this....

http://www.simplesoftwarecreations.com/default.asp?sw=wunder

It's free....

A nice little program worth a try, not many templates but you can start off with a blank page if you want and are creative.

I'll give it a thumbs up.

good program for someone who does not design things often but needs it once in a while.
didn't have any problems downloading or installing, still have not found out where to enter the registration code though.

Installed with no problems, I need time to really try the program and make a valid evaluation, so far I have no problems with instalation and easy of use is a plus. Thanks.

# 16 Hayden

Just to repeat:

No, reboot isn’t a utility. I run my system with a virtualisation software. Like ShadowDefender (GOATD June 2013) or Toolwiz Timefreeze (included in Toolwiz Care – recommended!) or DeepFreeze (paid - IMHO the best).

Every installation is done under a virtualized system. That means, the installation does never affect the REAL system. To remove all changes, ever made to the system, you simply “reboot” the system.

Therefor I can easily test software, without ever harming my real default installation. Should be used by everybody. HTH.

Can someone please explain what "Uninstalled via reboot" from comment # 1 means? Thanks.

3. KenyanPhoenix: "Tries to install by Default to “C:Windows/System32″. Changing the install directory to “C:Programs/” gives an error."

7. newleaf: "I’m pretty sure you’re goning to have a problem installing the software to “C:Programs/” Try installing it to “C:\Windows\Program Files” if the program is 64 bit or to “C:\Windows\Program Files (x86)” if the program is written in 32 bit. Look at my examples closly as you need to use the “\” and not the “/” character. Also you need to add a “\” after the “C:”. Nothing on computers works if you don’t first get the syntax correct. Just trying to help out."

On Win 7, the path is 'C:\Program Files'.
So you're both a bit right, & a bit wrong, perhaps. lol

Ben,I have kids,and they love this kind of software for their various kind of use. So take advantage to what others can do with the software offered here please. My kids like i ta lot.

Can't find the program anywhere...unzipped to where? Looked in the c:/ but unable to find it. Looked in C:Windows/System32, but again no luck. Now to try and figure out how to get this garbage off my computer and stop installing this free junk. It's more work than it's worth.

The link to download the PDF manual is wrong on BinaryNow website, as they forgot the S after download.

The good URL should be http://downloads.binarynow.com/slimpublisherum.pdf (download + S)
instead of
http://download.binarynow.com/slimpublisherum.pdf (without S)

#2: Really? "The best publishing software ever made"? Better than PageMaker or InDesign or QuarkXpres? If it's good, say it's good, but be reasonable.

On running setup the program is supposed to extract to C:/but in fact tries to extract to some area previously used by the system.
In my case it was a folder in the F drive, a flash drive that was in use yesterday.
Just edit the box to a more sensible folder to extract a single file "SlimPublisher.msi" which you run to install the software.
Installation went very smoothly but I was not asked for a registration code, possibly I have an earlier version of this program installed. I certainly could not find anywhere on the screen to insert it.
Two areas interested me, the ability to add barcodes and the ability to insert a map, both of these worked quickly and perfectly. For the latter I only needed to put my British post: code in and instantly a map appeared.
Inserting an image and text was no problem, adjusting the text size was very easy.
A number of standard paper label sizes are available but also a custom size depending on your requirements.

Very easy to use program that functioned perfectly in the short time I've used it and I look forward to experimenting with it further, a keeper for me.

Since I checked the GOTD site far too late yesterday to contribute (actually, only a few minutes before the end of the giveaway), I’ve decided to stay up, here in the US, in order to both contribute a review of SlimPublisher.

The installation went smoothly, once I realized the GOTD wrapper was expanding a zip file, and it needed to know where to park the Microsoft installer that it was unpacking. After that, installation went smoothly (Win 7, x64), and it registered properly without internet access (my firewall blocked its attempt to “phone home”).

SlimPublisher is on the low end of layout packages, as you can gather from its modest price. It will never compete, head-to-head with Microsoft’s Publisher program (whether you like Microsoft or not, they do have the largest market share, so there software needs to be considered). It is more likely targeted against other entry-level layout packages such as Serif’s PagePlus desktop publishing / layout package, although Serif is actually more capable than SlimPublisher (and four times as expensive). Serif has, though, a history of giving out their previous release version of their layout software for free.

As well as being unable to compete with either Microsoft Publisher or Serif PagePlus (on ease of use, feature set, or available quantity / quality of templates available for free), you would never consider comparing this entry level program to the industry heavyweights of Adobe PageMaker or Quark Express. Fortunately, SlimPublisher is priced at a level that shows that BinaryNow understands it is offering an entry-level option, and does not present itself as a comparable replacement for those other packages. Unfortunately, BinaryNow does not offer additional templates on their website (either for free or sale), the way that Microsoft does.

One of the most unique, and probably useful ideas in SlimPublisher, is the easy inclusion of Google Maps in your layout document. On the other hand, I doubt that the average user will have much need for the QR or barcodes, which are also easily inserted.

The most annoying part of the program, though, is how you enter text into it. Even though it clearly has copy and paste buttons at the top of the document area, the paste function does not work with text from another source, meaning you cannot copy text from Notepad, a web page, or a word processor, and expect to be able to drop it directly into your document. And, you can completely forget brining in anything from a presentation program such as PowerPoint, unless you save it first as a graphic, and then import that. Actually, there is no way to import any content from another program, which is probably the most serious deficiency you can note about a page layout program.

What you are required to do is click on the “Insert text” icon on the left side strip of icons, and then paste your text into their text entry box, after which you pretty well lose any formatting you may have already applied to it. Once in their text entry box, you then need to go back and apply the basic word processing-type of formatting they allow insider their text entry field.

This is rather time consuming and annoying, as well as prone to causing errors. It would be much simpler if they could accept formatted text from another program (e.g., word processor) that is better designed to create text, rather than requiring you to use 1987 import technology. Heck, SlimPublisher doesn’t even offer spell check, should you choose to just create your text within their entry box.

Another deficiency is the quality of their supplied “shapes” (artwork such as boxes, stars, etc., such as you might use in PowerPoint, or its equivalent). This artwork looks like it is also from the 1980’s in quality.

So, is this SlimPublisher worth using? Probably not, given its limitations and low quality, and when compared to the free version available from Serif. While the price is attractive, in today’s climate of free professional software, like Serif, and some of the other open source / freeware titles available, I’m afraid that SlimPublisher looks quite dated and behind the competition.

On another note, I would like to add my comments to what the others provided yesterday in response to Ashraf’s “venting” about his consistent down voting of his reviews, something that has only been happening, with regularity, for about 6-7 months now. Given the quality of both Ashraf’s comments and his writing style, none of those large numbers of down votes makes any more sense than the “thumbs up / thumbs down” voting at the top of the GOTD page.

These large numbers of “down votes” strike me as being nothing more than an attempt to intimidate (or perhaps anger) Ashraf, as well as an attempt to undermine his credibility with other visitors to GOTD. I firmly suspect that the “people” who are downgrading his reviews are shills for the publishers whose titles are being offered, and who are not happy with the honest evaluations he provides of their software.

Back on May 18, I wrote a commentary praising Ashraf and Giovanni both for their contributions to GOTD, over several years, and compared them to other long-time contributors such as Fubar, Bubby, MikeR and mike. What I did not think was necessary was to point out that the reason Ashraf’s comments are always the first ones you see is not because all of us like what he posts, but because he demonstrated to the folks who run GOTD (several years ago) that the quality of his posts were worth giving him that first spot on a daily basis; Ashraf proved himself to the staff of GOTD, as well as all of us. What I actually find myself doing, when I see large numbers of negative votes for him, is not only paying special attention to his comments, but also clicking through to his website for even further reading about that day’s title -- something that I suspect is the exact opposite of what the publisher’s shills were hoping cause.

When I closed my comments about Ashraf and Giovanni, as well as the others I mentionbed, I said that “If GOTD, as a community, is going to continue to succeed so that we may all benefit from the business model that makes new titles available to us each day, I would prefer that those contributors who give / consistently provide reasoned, intelligent, educational, and often humorous, as well as sometimes properly scathing, comments are thanked rather than jeered and attacked.” I still believe that, and feel that Ashraf’s comments contribute, on a very regular basis, to this sense of creating a “community” that makes us all want to come back the next day and see what he has to say.

MikeR posted a comment after mine, that went as follows: “The enduring value of GOTD resides as much in the range of software opportunities it provides as the comments section which it generously facilitates.” No one has earned the right to have their comments be number one on the daily posting more than Ashraf.

The only thing that I regret in my post back in May is that I feel that I shorted “mike,” who I have long thought is probably the most versatile poster on GOTD, and the only one who consistently addresses the other people who post questions or make unusual comments. While I don’t know if “mike” has decades more experience than the average visitor to GOTD (he probably does), I regret that I didn’t single him out as my vote for honorary professorship here on the site, as I think that he contributes more to educating all of us, newbies and gray beards alike, than any one else over the last several years.

Many years ago, when I was a more regular visitor and poster at GOTD, I once said that I was a degree’d computer engineer with over 25 years of experience (a bit more, now), and that none of my education and experience really meant much here, as my career and life have taken me away from being able to be an “expert” on PC’s any more. What I wish I had said is that my education and experience make me appreciate even more the time and contributions of people like Ashraf, Giovanni, Fubar, Bubby (long departed, but probably the best contributor of, often sarcastic, humor on the site), MikeR and mike.

And, in another long winded closing, I feel that I should also acknowledge what are, too me, a new group of contributors that I have found since returning to GOTD in the last year after an absence of over 5 years. So, to the following, I would also like to say thank you, as you have all made the GOTD community that much stronger and more interesting:

Karl, XP-Man, Devvie, dadams, FrancisBorne, Don Hill, Ghenghis McCann, GreeneyedNewbie, hamstergirl, fran, pixelriffic, and KenyanPhoenix

To those I’ve missed, or whose comments I’ve yet to come to appreciate, I look forward to reading your posts in the future.

With a "tip of the hat" to Giovanni, this is my $0.02 for the day.

BruceM

It's very easy to create templates for Adobe Creative Suite with this and will keep it for that purpose. I roll my eyes, program colours that look like software for kids ... missing a theme selection for this.

#3 KenyanPhoenix,

I'm pretty sure you're goning to have a problem installing the software to “C:Programs/” Try installing it to "C:\Windows\Program Files" if the program is 64 bit or to "C:\Windows\Program Files (x86)" if the program is written in 32 bit. Look at my examples closly as you need to use the "\" and not the "/" character. Also you need to add a "\" after the "C:". Nothing on computers works if you don't first get the syntax correct. Just trying to help out.

Really cannot see how this can even remotely be of any use.

It is slow, keep getting the "Not Responding" error in print preview when there was just one small item of text on the label, there are very limited functions, several the screen buttons are often cut off, paper selection results not as expected.

Tried to produce a sheet of Avery labels, 14 to a sheet, on A4 paper - s simple standard exercise. If I selected vertical the label was vertical, not the paper. (Wanted Portrait mode.) Finally got the label and page orientation correct, and on Print Preview the default was 68 labels instead of 14!

Maybe there is a learning curve, but for a small program supposedly able to do what it says on the blurb, like printing a simple sheet of labels to a standard size, it really is embarrassing.

Windows 7 quad-core computer, 6 Gig of RAM. Program uninstalled. Useless. There are a 100 free programs far better than this.

i had no probs installing to programfiles.

OH YEH NO:2 what you smokeing there? this is not the only publisher out there. there have bean heaps way out b 4 ms publisher 2.0 like ms works in its time tho i will say others will B uter junk.. THANKS GOTD

Most people use Word (or equivalent) for their desktop publishing needs, but Word is more geared for letters and memos, not the 'pixel perfect' positioning of graphics and text.

Serif have been going for many years, and have developed their 'PagePlus' program dramatically ... maybe even to the point of being a bit too bloaty.

The free edition of the software is good enough for most users. They require an email address at sign-up, and can tend to spam you with other software offers, but you can easily sign out of these.

http://www.serif.com/desktop-publishing-software/?mc=FSSPAGEPLUS

Tries to install by Default to "C:Windows/System32". Changing the install directory to "C:Programs/" gives an error."Errors encountered while performing the (extraction) operation. Look in the information window for more details".This has happened in a Win 8 X64 Dell Inspiron. Question is: Is this bad coding or is this problem unique to my architecture? However, I sincerely believe that I could find some use for the program. Help requested from the developer.

Thank you! The best publishing software ever made!
Simple and easy!

Installed and registered on a Win 8.1 Pro 64 bit system without problems. Registration needs internet access.

The installation software wants to expand to c:/ as default, then you have to locate the installation file to start installation manually. That's not the way it should be.

Slim Publisher opens with a (too) colorful interface. Self explaining.

Starting a new project you can either start with a blank page or with predefined (mainly) business cards. The selection is the "typical" business card like a lot of the competitors.

This software has and advantage, if one needs it. YOu can enter different barcodes into the project and, that's a good idea - a map, free to choose in size and resolution. With some predefined shapes one can mark the company location. There should be much for signs, especially arrows for a good picture.

In my short test the software works fast, easy to understand and without errors.

The help is a .PDF document. That's better than the online help. The .PDF with 28 pages is detailed enough.

A good software for the one, who wants to use self made business cards. I personally don't like self made cards from the printer - not for me and not from my visitors. They all look self made...

Uninstalled via reboot.