The Cheapskate

Normally $99.99, this exceptional desktop-publishing program can be yours for just $16.99.

(Credit: Buy.com)

Whatever happened to desktop publishing software? A decade ago you had your pick of at least a dozen programs, but now the field is nearly empty.

Sure, you can still buy Adobe PageMaker or QuarkXPress for a small fortune (make that a medium fortune: they run $499 and $799, respectively), but what if you just want a simple program for creating newsletters, brochures, flyers, and the like?

Enter Serif PagePlus X4, a terrific desktop-publishing application that's ideal for designing print and Web-based documents alike.

Right now, Buy.com has PagePlus X4 for just $16.99 shipped. That's after a $25 mail-in rebate [PDF], but even at the prerebate price of $41.99, this software's a steal.

Indeed, although you can use PagePlus for any number of everyday projects (calendars, greeting cards, etc.), it's powerful enough to create professional-level documents (books, magazines, etc.).

In addition to robust page-layout tools, PagePlus features a PDF editor, logo builder, and photo lab. It also comes with a huge assortment of templates so you can hit the design-ground running. And to help beginners get started, it incorporates tutorial videos.

The software supports nearly every imaginable output option, including four color separations, press-ready PDFs, double-sided printing, and Web publishing.

In short, PagePlus X4 can stand toe-to-toe with Quark and PageMaker, but at a fraction of the cost.

I'm a huge fan of the program, which I've used for years. In fact, I've been plugging along just fine with PagePlus X2, but now that I can score the latest version for just $16.99, I'll definitely be upgrading.

Update: Sorry, folks, looks like the deal is no longer valid. But check back in a day or two to see if Buy.com replenishes its stock. It's been known to happen!