Free X-Ray magazine PDF

[ktinkel]

Once upon a time there was X-Ray, focused on (you guessed it) QuarkXPress. The magazine ceased publication several years ago, but now has been revived by extension/plug-in distributor PowerXChange. Cindie Shaffstall is editor and publisher.

Brad Walrod (this forum’s first managing sysop as well as author of QuarkXPress Unleashed and long-time contributor to the old X-Ray) has provided an interesting article to the first issue. It discusses the complex production setup and processes needed to produce an encyclopedia, with typesetting to be done by several people in different places. Very interesting reading. (Congrats, Brad — and nice mug shot, too!)

Other topics include XTensions, Bézier drawing in XPress, font management in Mac OS X, and scripting XPress, as well as a long preview of XPress 7 by editor Shaftstall and an argument in favor of sticking with XPress (rather than switching to InDesign) by well-known designer Roger Black.

The new X-Ray will be published six times a year, in both print and PDF editions. A special one-year subscription offer includes a free t-thirt ($47.76 if ordered before April 15). Subscriptions to the print edition are available only in the U.S. for now. Or you can buy a single copy for ten bucks, or order other numbers of issues, from 3 to 12 (maybe even more — a dizzying array).

The first issue, slugged March/April 2005, was slated for publication on March 28. You can download a free PDF version of the 64-page issue from this link to the PowerXChange web site.