Online survey leaks surprising product line up of Creative Suite 3 and potential new features of InDesign CS3 and QuarkXPress 7.

As part of an online survey initiated just a few hours ago by AbsolutData Research & Analytics on behalf of an unnamed “major software company,” survey participants were asked to make judgments about their likelihood of buying “much improved” products. These “next generation” products are identified as QuarkXPress 7, InDesign CS3, and the Adobe Creative Suite 3—complete with a detailed list of product features and the Creative Suite lineup.

QuarkXPress 7 Features?

According to the survey, the “much improved new version (QuarkXPress),” which is later referenced as QuarkXPress 7, will contain the following list of new features. Enough of these features have been demonstrated by Quark and X-Ray Magazine over the last eight months of XPress 7 hype that our confidence is high the list is an accurate representation of XPress 7’s shipping feature set. The information is published here verbatim, without editing, to enable you to draw your own conclusions about its veracity.

CREATIVITY

QuarkXPress 4. 5 and 6 support formats like TIF and EPS, as well as overprints and multi-ink colors. QuarkXPress 7 introduces precise transparency controls, drop shadows, alpha channel support, and support for Photoshop PSD layer opacity.

Built-in image engine, first introduced in version 6.5, reduces time spent on image manipulation. In QuarkXPress 7 new graphics formats are supported and alpha channels can be softened.

Streamlined interface allows majority of common tasks to be controlled from a single palette. Users will be able to use the functionality of the main QuarkXPress 4 dialog boxes while maximizing screen real estate.

Cross-platform OpenType typography and Unicode international character support.

LAYOUT AND COLLABORATION

Where QuarkXPress versions 4, 5 and 6 allow for simple, static content management via Libraries, in QuarkXPress 7 users can created layout blocks that can be edited in one place with real time updates in multiple pages, files or even among multiple users.

QuarkXPress 4, 5 and 6 and other layout applications allow layouts to be divided only by splitting up a file, and individual pages can?t be divided at all. In QuarkXPress 7, complex layouts and even pages can be flexibly shared among multiple users for simultaneous collaboration.

Building on the text synchronization of QuarkXPress 6.5, users of QuarkXPress 7 can flexibly synchronize images, text, layout and styles across multiple layouts and media types. Users can change once, and update everywhere.

PREDICTABLE RESULTS

Where QuarkXPress 4 and 5 require third-party applications to create PDF files, QuarkXPress 6 and 7 allows users to create PDF files directly from QuarkXPress. In QuarkXPress 7, native PDF and PDF/X support users have better control of their final output via native PDF and PDF/X support and through customizable pre-flighting.

QuarkXPress 4, 5 and 6 use the Quark CMS XTensions software to apply color management on a file-by-file basis. Color management in QuarkXPress 7 is always-on, automatically picks up system settings and can be easily shared and standardized, allowing better on-screen soft proofing. Advanced Color Management users will find many new options.

Production and design settings can be standardized with printers or across a workgroup with real-time updates

Robust graphics engine provides improved anti-aliasing and image previews.

MULTI-CHANNEL PUBLISHING

QuarkXPress 4 is focused entirely on print: in QuarkXPress 7, the Web Layout environment allows direct HTML export, image export and Flash import.

InDesign CS3 Features?

According to the survey, the “much improved new version (InDesign),” which is also later identified specifically as InDesign CS3, will contain the following list of new features. The information is published here verbatim, without editing, to enable you to draw your own conclusions about its veracity.

InDesign CS3 Features?

According to the survey, the “much improved new version (InDesign),” which is also later identified specifically as InDesign CS3, will contain the following list of new features. The information is published here verbatim, without editing, to enable you to draw your own conclusions about its veracity.

CREATIVITY

Greater than ever integration of graphic creation tools, allowing users to apply filters, gradient blends, 3D effects and more to any element on a page, even text.

Enhanced typographical features, including precise controls over drop cap runaround

LAYOUT AND PRODUCTIVITY

An unflattened PSD or PDF file can be embedded in fully editable form in a page. Photoshop support is enhanced to allow transparency, restacking and basic effects to be applied from within layout.

Allows rapid synchronization of content across multiple layouts and even across applications such as Flash, GoLive and Illustrator

Send stories for round-trip editing edit in MS Word.

Layout Styles allow page geometry to be dynamically applied to objects on the page.

Automated layout features allow text flows to smartly wraparound objects on the page, columns to be dynamically divided etc. allowing users to layout stories on a page without laborious box fitting.

Sections of pages can be divided and distributed via an enhanced workflow module able to route files to other users, with live updates and the ability to revert to an earlier version at any time.

Share text, XML and graphic updates via the workflow module, which can receive data from MS Word, RSS and other common data feeds.

Files can be distributed in lightweight XML format that can be read and commented on via Acrobat while leaving the original layout file editable.

PREDICTABLE RESULTS

Support for PDF/A

MULTI-CHANNEL PUBLISHING

Smart XML output allows batch processing of layouts and support for PPML, JDF and more with minimal user intervention.

Available as part of a bundled suite with other key design and layout tools

Move content easily from print to web-based channels like HTML and Flash.

More Leaked?

Two additional pages, entitled “Page Layout Perfected” and “Innovation Unleashed” do not specifically identify either QuarkXPress or InDesign, but bear a strong association to XPress 7 and InDesign CS3, respectively, by reiterating features from the lists that do identify their subjects. These two pages add the following hypothetical characteristics:

More Leaked?

Two additional pages, entitled “Page Layout Perfected” and “Innovation Unleashed” do not specifically identify either QuarkXPress or InDesign, but bear a strong association to XPress 7 and InDesign CS3, respectively, by reiterating features from the lists that do identify their subjects. These two pages add the following hypothetical characteristics:

From “Page Layout Perfected”:

CREATIVITY

Greater than ever integration of graphic creation tools, allowing users to apply filters, gradient blends, 3D effects and more to any element on a page, even text.

LAYOUT AND PRODUCTIVITY

Send stories for round-trip editing edit in MS Word.

Layout Styles allow page geometry to be dynamically applied to objects on the page.

Sections of pages can be divided and distributed via an enhanced workflow module able to route files to other users, with live updates and the ability to revert to an earlier version at any time.

Share text, XML and graphic updates via the workflow module, which can receive data from MS Word, RSS and other common data feeds.

PREDICTABLE RESULTS

Support for PDF/A

MULTI-CHANNEL PUBLISHING

Available as part of a bundled suite with other key design and layout tools

From “Innovation Unleased”:

CREATIVITY

Creativity tools include precise transparency controls, drop shadows, alpha channel support, as well as support for Photoshop PSD layer import and opacity control.

Built-in image engine, reduces time spent on image manipulation: all major graphics formats are supported and alpha channels can be softened.

Streamlined interface allows most common tasks to be controlled from a single palette.

Cross-platform OpenType typography and Unicode international character support.

LAYOUT AND PRODUCTIVITY

Users can create layout blocks that can be edited in one place, while allowing for real time updates in multiple pages or files - even those shared with multiple users for simultaneous collaboration.

Users can flexibly synchronize images, text, layout and styles across multiple layouts and media types.

PREDICTABLE RESULTS

Users can to have better control of their final output via enhanced PDF and PDF/X support and through customizable pre-flighting.

Built-in color management can be easily shared and standardized, allowing both color novices and experts to better soft proof files on screen. Includes advanced color management features for color experts.

Designers can easily use production and design settings provided by their printers or share these setting across a workgroup. These settings can be updated in real-time.

Robust graphics engine provides improved anti-aliasing and more precise image previews.

MULTI-CHANNEL PUBLISHING

Web Layout environment allows direct HTML and image export, including Flash import and improved graphic output. Users can combine print with Web layouts in a single project, allowing them to change elements once, and update them both in the Web and print pages.

Creative Suite 3 Lineup?

In addition to presenting in confident language what the survey writers presumably believe are the intended features of InDesign CS3 and QuarkXPress 7, the survey also divulges a surprising Creative Suite 3 lineup—including as yet unfinalized Macromedia acquisitions.

According to the Absolute Data survey, Creative Suite 3 Premium will include the usual lineup of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, GoLive, Version Cue, Adobe Bridge, and Acrobat Professional. A new edition, Creative Suite 3 Platinum, will allegedly replace GoLive with Dreamweaver, and throw in Flash.

The Survey

Among inquiries related to number of licenses of different versions of XPress and InDesign, and how much each is used, the survey asked participants to respond with ratings on a scale of 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree) to questions such as:

“If InDesign CS2 was not offered as part of Creative Suite 2, my group would still have purchased it as a separate product to use for a part or all of our page layout work.”

“How satisfied are you with Quark in general?”

“How satisfied are you with Adobe in general?”

“My group started using Adobe InDesign as our primary product in the recent past and due to our dissatisfaction with Adobe InDesign we are very open to switching to QuarkXPress if Quark releases a strong product.”

Adobe would neither confirm nor deny the information from the survey, citing the long-standing corporate policy of declining to comment on unannounced software. Adobe spokesperson Denise Styerwalt did state that Adobe is not the sponsor of the survey.

Our phone calls and e-mails to Quark for comment regarding XPress 7’s features, the company’s involvement with the survey, and how the survey sponsor may have obtained the information about Adobe’s products went unreturned.

We were also unable to reach AbsolutData by telephone to either of its U.S. offices.

Judging by the questions asked and the manner in which invitations to participate were distributed, the several dozen query survey was almost surely sponsored by a certain Denver-based software company. How did the survey sponsor obtain such detailed information on Adobe’s unannounced products? Is the information accurate, or is it all just educated guesses?

We’ll just have to wait and see.

QuarkXPress 7’s most recent release estimate is “early 2006,” and Creative Suite 3 and InDesign CS3, if Adobe adheres to its 2003 commitment of 12-18 month release cycles, won’t be available until late Spring 2006 at the earliest.

Quark, QuarkXPress, QuarkXPress 7, XPress 7, InDesign, InDesign CS3, Creative Suite, Creative Suite 3, Adobe, Macromedia, Flash, DreamWeaver, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, GoLive