iCalamus - 1.16

The price on VT shoud be 129 euro, which is $195.

InDesign is yet another bloated, beachball ridden, Adobe-ego product. (Need proof? Consider Adobe's need to implement yet another entire application for their cumbersome help system. So can iCalamus save me from Adobe convolution with a more intelligent, lighter weight (appropriate weight) solution? Maybe someday. While I wouldn't expect any alternative desktop publishing tools to mimic competitors (unless from Microsoft), it is very preferential that alternatives commit to a fundamental model of the problem domain. Doing so enables users to more quickly experiment with the alternative process of the tool. Otherwise it's likely that potential customers will grow irritated (and possibly give up) due to the need to translate standard terminology for familiar layout concepts, tools and activities into "iCalamusian."

In an attempt to understand the approach to resizing content within a frame, or crop content by adjusting a frame, I finally threw my hands up in the air as the only reference to the term "crop" in the iCalamus help section is under the print preferences section.

It is my understanding that the product is developed in Europe and hence there possibly exists a language barrier between the developers and the English (US) marketplace. My hunch stems from some of the website's marketing copy, which includes, "layouting text in iCalamus is so easy," (something I always find immediately puts me on guard for subpar-ware). So it might be that the only hurdle remaining is hiring translator who is also versed in usability that can help produce a succesful English indoctrination experience.

As of version 1.0.9, iCalamus isn't even worth your time beta testing, much less actually purchasing in order to waste time deciphering.

iCalamus runs smoothly on my iMac dual core. the only thing i miss is a decent documentation. a piece of software that costs over USD 100,- should include a decent manual (preferably in a printable version - or as a buying option). OTOH, iCalamus is rather easy to handle if you have some experience with DTP (x-press switchers will find iCalamus a relief!).
some functions are still missing (no PS export; or i haven't figured out yet how to streamline certain tasks: e.g. giving all pages a new background colour in a long document with just a few mouse clicks... these issues are probably due to the rather short history of this piece of software and will be resolved soon... i hope).
the price is a bit steep currently (considering other options), but again: if iCalamus continues this way ver. 2.9 should be a real bargain at this price! its an investment in something that looks good. multiAd Creator light is only 99,-. and can do a lot more than iCalamus - yet it is only really valuable for single page docs... ragtime has stopped its "private" version and is thus unaffordable for the rest of us, so iCalamus has a lot of opportunities.

I really don't get it. A window pops up with a printer icon. Nothing else happens. You can't open anything, drag n drop. There is just no way to do anything with this.

By far, the MAC OS X DTP Application of year 2006. Despite its limits now, by far the best in the field of 'non-traditional, consecrated' DTP apps. I do hope it will not fall into oblivion by being swallowed up by a giant.
Congratulations (no bias, I really do not know who has done this true cocoa app)