Free Alternative to MS Publisher

kenspoker

I'm in the process of updating our two office computers.

We have loads of documents created using publisher but I can't find the disc to load it onto the new machine.

Have downloaded open office, which is great but doesn't seem to have anything that will open a publisher document. Can anyone correct me or point me in the direction of a free download that will open and create publisher style documents in the same way open office works with word documents?

Browntoa

I never found a freebie for windows that did Publisher, only one for Linux

serif do some freebies

http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/

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newfoundglory

I don't think you are going to find a program which will open/convert your publisher documents, and i shouldnt think it will be free.

Even the industry leading quarkxpress and adobe indesign won't convert publisher files directly for you.

There is however only one program I have ever come across which will try its best to convert publisher files. The now retired adobe pagemaker will convert the publisher 2000 files to pagemaker format. So if you have saved it as pub 2000 compatible (or versions below 97/98) you can import into pagemaker (versions 6.5 and 7 i think).

And adobe indesign CAN import pagemaker files... so if you really wanted to, it is possible to get publisher -> pagemaker -> indesign.

Conversion is never an exact art. Even with Indesign 2.0, CS and CS2... when exporting an backward compatible, its never totally exact when opened in an earlier version. You will lose some layout and possible formatting, but if its only text and basic shapes you want it should be okay.

Trial versions are available on the adobe website. The "cheapest" option is to just buy publisher again i should think.