Computer Program ? (1 Viewer)

[Beef Ravioli]

I am looking to get a program for my PC that can aid me in making flyers, banners and signs as this responsibility has often fallen upon me at work. The designs will be a mix of classy, professional looking ones to the occasional clipart/photo funny ones.

Please don't tell me to get a MAC. Although, that would be nice, it is not possible so it will be a waste of your time and mine for you to state it.

I notice there are a multitude of free programs. Anyone use these and are they easy to use? I know I can try them out for free but would prefer to learn from someone else and their experience.

My budget will be a max of $200

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Geezil]

I didn't read your entire post but if you have about 2 grand to spend I would recommend getting a Mac.

 

[Abraham]

1. Get a Mac

2. Failing that, PowerPoint/paint/gimp combo is your best bet.

 

[Beef Ravioli]

Get a MAC

Winner! The rest of you please disregard as I have found the best possible answer

 

[datonn]

Corel Draw...which includes Corel PhotoPaint and other programs. Though these two will be all you need. Or if you decide you can't afford it, give GIMP and/or Inkscape a try.

 

[Hawks64]

1. Get a Mac

2. Failing that, PowerPoint/paint/gimp combo is your best bet.

Gimp is the closest you'll get to photoshop for free. All sorts of tutorials on youtube as well.

 

[Geezil]

I need help too when you guys are finished here with Beef Ravioli. I have a small store, totally hillbilly but it pays the bills and I would like to do all of my counts and orders on a computer. How would I set that up cheap and easy, and it can't be a Mac as I don't have one either. Looking for some sort of spreadsheet I assume that is user friendly and will save to the hard drive.

Easy being the key word.

 

[datonn]

And to the "get a Mac" crowd, what makes a Mac "better" for design?! Seriously. More than the typical smarmy iFanBoy response...I'm curious why you think designing on a Mac is "better."

Full disclosure: I used Macs through much of the 90s, moved on to Windows in the late 90s, and have produced ~6,500 illustrations on PCs since. In my experience, the only thing Mac is better at is getting people to pay a premium for comparable hardware. But what would I know...as someone who's been in the illustration business for the past 20 years?

 

[Abraham]

The iLife suite and Keynote combo is substantially easier for non-power users to start producing nice designs compared to anything available on a PC.

As for geezil's store, are you wanting to process payments and track other bills or just have an inventory control system?

 

[MindCrime]

Is "Print Shop" still around? That was the bomb, circa 1987.

 

[MaxThreshold]

And to the "get a Mac" crowd, what makes a Mac "better" for design?! Seriously. More than the typical smarmy iFanBoy response...I'm curious why you think designing on a Mac is "better."

Full disclosure: I used Macs through much of the 90s, moved on to Windows in the late 90s, and have produced ~6,500 illustrations on PCs since. In my experience, the only thing Mac is better at is getting people to pay a premium for comparable hardware. But what would I know...as someone who's been in the illustration business for the past 20 years?

Apple Fanboy propoganda is second to none.

 

[Mr. Ected]

I need help too when you guys are finished here with Beef Ravioli. I have a small store, totally hillbilly but it pays the bills and I would like to do all of my counts and orders on a computer. How would I set that up cheap and easy, and it can't be a Mac as I don't have one either. Looking for some sort of spreadsheet I assume that is user friendly and will save to the hard drive.

Easy being the key word.

Correct me if I am wrong, geeks, but OpenOffice is a good, "Free and Open Productivity Suite" that has all of the pieces like MS Office. Haven't used it much, but I have heard good things about it.