Introduction of Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Publisher is an entry-level desktop publishing application from Microsoft, differing from Microsoft Word in that the emphasis is placed on page layout and design rather than text composition and proofing. The current version is Microsoft Publisher 2010 for Windows; there is no version for Macintosh.

Publisher is included in higher-end editions of Microsoft Office, reflecting Microsoft’s emphasis on the application as an easy-to-use and less expensive alternative to the “heavyweights,” with a focus on the small business market where firms do not have dedicated design professionals available to make marketing materials and other documents. However, it has a relatively small share of the desktop publishing market, which is dominated by Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress. Publisher has historically been less well liked among high-end commercial print shops, compared with other desktop publishing applications.