Why isn't Microsoft Word recommended as a page layout application?
Many people recognize that Microsoft Word has page layout capabilities. Over the years, Microsoft has developed Word to be much more then just a simple word processor. In its most recent version, Word has developed to become a page layout application as well as the most popular word processing application in the world. In fact, you can actually create a fairly complex document using Word. So what's the problem with using Word to design pages? Click here to find out.

How to test blends or gradients for potential banding in Adobe Photoshop.
Bad blends or gradients don't always show up on every prepress proof. Often, you don't see them until the job runs on press. How can you test your pixel-based vignettes for banding before submitting your job to Courier?

How to get the highest quality screen grabs.
Many books contain images from computer screens. These are called "screen grabs", and sometimes the resolution of the image is not satisfactory for print production. How can you make sure that your screen grabs will be of the highest possible resolution?

How to save multitone images in Photoshop version 5.0 or earlier.
Saving multitone images in recent versions of Photoshop is very straightforward, but there is a little trick to doing it in Photoshop version 5.0 or earlier. What is it? Click here to find out.

How to get started with color management.
Courier presents the basics of color management in a section of Part 2 of the Right from the Start, 5/e. Whether you are a pro with ICC profiles or you don't even know what they are, you should read that section and follow the simple recommendations at the end.
The recommendations are also available here.

Naming conventions, how to name your files.
It is imperative that all PDF file names follow a standard. Carefully naming your files is important to keep your work organized and to ensure a smooth workflow in processing your job.