Definition PrintMaster is a desktop publishing (DTP) software application designed primarily for home users and small businesses to create a variety of print projects, including greeting cards, banners, calendars, newsletters, labels, and flyers.
Overview First released in the mid-1980s by Broderbund, PrintMaster quickly gained popularity as an accessible tool for personal publishing. It offered a user-friendly interface and a vast library of templates, clip art, and fonts, enabling individuals without professional design experience to produce visually appealing documents. Over its history, PrintMaster has seen numerous iterations and ownership changes, evolving its features to keep pace with changing technologies and user expectations in personal computing and digital printing. It positioned itself as an alternative to more complex professional DTP software, focusing on ease of use and immediate results for common household and small office printing needs.
Etymology/Origin The name "PrintMaster" is a compound of "print," referring to the output medium and its primary function, and "master," implying proficiency, control, or a definitive version. This name reflects the software's aim to empower users to "master" their printing projects. The software was originally developed by Broderbund Software, Inc., a prominent American maker of video games and educational software, and was first released around 1986. Over the years, ownership of the PrintMaster brand and development rights have transferred through several companies, including The Learning Company, Havas Interactive, Nova Development, and Encore Software.
Characteristics Key characteristics of PrintMaster typically include:
- Template-Driven Design: Extensive libraries of pre-designed templates for various project types, simplifying the design process for users.
- Clip Art and Graphics Libraries: A wide assortment of integrated clip art, stock photos, and graphic elements for visual enhancement.
- Text Tools: Features for text formatting, font selection, text effects, and alignment, allowing customization of headlines and body copy.
- Photo Editing: Basic tools for importing, resizing, cropping, and applying simple effects to digital photographs.
- Layout and Design Tools: Drag-and-drop functionality for arranging elements on a page, layering, and precise positioning.
- Project Variety: Support for a broad range of print projects, from personal items like invitations and scrapbooks to practical documents like business cards and brochures.
- User-Friendly Interface: Designed with an emphasis on intuitive navigation and ease of use, making it accessible to non-professional designers.
Related Topics
- Desktop Publishing (DTP): The general category of software and processes for creating documents using page layout skills on a personal computer.
- Broderbund: The original developer and publisher of PrintMaster.
- The Learning Company: A former owner of the PrintMaster brand.
- Microsoft Publisher: A competing desktop publishing software, often targeted at similar home and small business users.
- Adobe InDesign: A professional-grade desktop publishing and page layout software, representing the high-end of the DTP market.
- Graphic Design Software: A broader category that includes applications for image manipulation, illustration, and layout.