This DVD from Lynda.com contains more than 8 hours of video-based training, and includes the exercise files used in the videos! This is the only training that covers every feature in QuarkXPress 8. The movies are short (from 3-7 minutes each), and demonstrate one task or feature.

Design Tools Monthly is a brief, jargon-free monthly newsletter for graphic design professionals. It has no advertisements and has been subscriber-supported since 1992. Our goal is to summarize all the career-enhancing stories of the month for graphic designers, print professionals, and other design-industry pros. Rather than reading dozens of websites and magazines, you get all the news, bug fixes, updates, tips and reviews — from just 12 pages!

Design Tools Monthly is available in printed form, as well as a downloadable PDF. It also includes a special monthly “Software Closet” where we collect the best free utilities, XTensions, plug-ins, brushes, and fonts for professional graphic designers.

You can download a free sample issue and take advantage of this limited-time offer at www.design-tools.com/qxp8_video_offer.

The book normally costs $54.99, but with this special offer it costs just $32.99.

It covers Windows 7, Vista, and XP, and it gives procedures for working with the latest versions of virtualization programs VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, and VirtualBox, along with Apple’s dual-boot solution, Boot Camp. Kissell provides instructions for installing the software and for installing Windows, and he goes further by explaining how to make peripherals — mice, keyboards, and printers — behave properly, how to share files between the Mac and Windows environments, and how to integrate the Mac and Windows interfaces.

Kissell also looks at software that makes it possible to run Windows programs on a Mac without installing Windows itself, and he explains methods of acquiring Windows, a topic made confusing by Microsoft’s many licensing options and activation mechanism. Get it for $10 at www.oreilly.com/catalog/9781615420483

Many of the promotional materials were created by Gravity London, a multidisciplinary design agency, and Quark has produced an inspiring 5-minute video about the project. The video shows these advertising pros explaining what they see as advantages to using QuarkXPress to create interactive Web pages and other Flash-based animations.

QuarkXPress 8 is almost three times faster than the previous releases. A three-times increase in productivity is very unusual.

His comments relate to real-world use, on common projects (not just processing speed and so forth). This means a significant increase in productivity for users of previous versions of QuarkXPress.

If you’re considering upgrading to version 8, you’ll see some powerful, real-world examples in this 5-minute video.

While you’re there, check out the other QuarkXPress 8 videos. They’re quite persuasive!

If you’re looking for a comprehensive video training on how to use all the features of QuarkXPress 8 — yes, all of them — look no further than, well, me.

A little while ago, I took on the herculean task of explaining how every feature in QuarkXPress 8 works. With examples. And files to go along with the examples. The result is an 8-hour hands-on tour, available at Lynda.com.

Below is their description. If you’re new to QuarkXPress, or if you want to understand the new features in versions 7 and 8, I hope you’ll have a look. The online training is available now, and the DVD will be released soon.

You can even watch 10 of the first movies for free!

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QuarkXPress has always been the perfect tool for creating and publishing documents. In QuarkXPress 8 Essential Training, Jay Nelson—the publisher of Design Tools Monthly and a QuarkXPress expert—covers all the tools and features in this updated version of the program, from basic page layout to Flash integration and web page creation. Throughout this comprehensive training, Jay shows what’s needed to produce professional-quality projects that integrate text, pictures, graphics, and tables. He also offers real-world page layout techniques that designers can apply to their own projects. Exercise files accompany the course.

Software works on Mac and Windows.

Topics Include:

• Understanding the QuarkXPress interface
• Building a new layout and working with master pages
• Using long document features to streamline workflow
• Building QuarkXPress 8 documents with Adobe and Microsoft files
• Creating custom styles using typography and picture effects
• Collaborating in real time with other users
• Exporting finished projects to PDF, Flash, and the web

Duration: 8 Hours

Even if you don’t design newspapers, you’ll be impressed by this 6-minute video at www.creativepro.com/article/can-design-save-newspapers

The folks at Lynda.com were incredibly helpful and professional — a necessary combination when undertaking this “heroic” project. (I call it heroic — I’m sure others have more colorful words for it.)

Believe it or not, I managed to cover everything from text editing and picture formatting to Web and Flash authoring and integration with Adobe’s Creative Suite.

I have special gratitude for Kirk Werner, my producer and guide through this process. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect person to keep the project going. Also, Marc Horne from Quark provided invaluable help with the Web and Flash chapters. (A big merci to Marc!) Special thanks to Lesa Snider for developing the hysterical artwork, as well as to iStockphoto.com for providing the images.

They tell me that the title should be available in early July, both as an online training title and as a DVD.