I've setup a list with alternatives to Pages 5 DTP programs (No I won't call them apps :-) )
This list could probably be extended, feel free to tell me about. It's intended for those pro users who need more than just write a letter or 2 pages reports. They can use the free Bean app. Great for fast setting up a letter. My kids use it on their Mac minis.
Bean (free, development stopped this year) http://www.bean-osx.com/Bean.html
PageStream (still developped, evolved from Publishing Partner ST (Atari ST) to Pagestream on Amiga, Windows, Mac versions exists)
Very professional DTP prog, with many features not found on any other DTP prog.
I used it on my Amiga computers to publish magazines for differnts clubs.
Though the actual version works on Mavericks, but the layout of the prog is a liitle old, not really Mac like
Has mailmerge, can put text in any forme, even pictures can be cut in any form and filled with text, styles for text, graphics, text boxes etc. has a very powerfull translation function, which can move, tanslate, change transparency and resize (at once if wanted) any object (bitmap, vector gfx or text)! Text on curve function, spacing of single letters etc.
One pro function is have masterpages for every chapter, any page can be portrait or landscape or have different sizes like (A4, the other A5 or A0) all in one document. Can export GFX in any format!
Can export to professional printing offices! Has a function (don't remember the name, but used it once) so
when printing all text begins on the same place at each page, if you "bostitch" the pages as a book.
A demo is available.
http://www.pagestream.org
Swift Publisher (http://www.belightsoft.com/products/swiftpublisher/overview.php)
Never tried it, but doesn't seem to have mail merge. Functionality seems to be much like MS Publisher.
Demo available
iStudio Publisher
Seems to have much more functions than Swift Publisher. Will try it later this week. Has hundreds of remplates, and much more vector gfx functions than Pages 09.
Demo avilable
http://www.istudiopublisher.com
iCalamus (free, but paid version much more features)
If I'm right this was a very famous DTP prog on Atari ST, even used to publish magazines.
looks much like PageStream
available here http://www.icalamus.net/icalamus/index.php?lan=en
Scribus (http://scribus.net/canvas/Scribus)
Open Source professional DTP prog.
many plugins for importing complete documents from other DTP progs
Best of all it's free!
About Pages 09.
What I liked most of Pages is/was the easiness with which one can create documents and switch between Wordprocessor and DTP function. And the ability to import PDF files with drap and drop! I often have to insert PDF docs exactly as they are! It works just great, without messing up the fonts!
I REALLY hope Apple will but back all the lost functions and more to Pages 5. But I think in 5 years or so, there will be no more desktop computers, just tablets, pamphlets, watches and glasses and we're supposed to share everything with everybody in a big cloud!
Hhmmm… this remembers me the good old times…my first DTP programm on the Commodore C=128 (C=64) GeoPublish (GEOS 64) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeoPublish)
