ICalamus

Last updated
iCalamus
Developer(s) invers Software
Stable release
2.24 [1] / November 1, 2021;15 months ago (2021-11-01)
Operating system macOS 10.11 or higher
Available in12 languages
List of languages
English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish
Type Desktop Publishing
License Trialware
Website www.lemkesoft.de/en/products/icalamus/

iCalamus is a frame-oriented layout and DTP application for macOS which has been developed by the German software company invers Software. The name iCalamus derives from the software Calamus by the same manufacturer but neither offers document compatibility nor shares a single line of source code with the latter. (Calamus derives from the Latin name of a writing instrument made of reeds; see Kalamos.) In April 2018 iCalamus was acquired by Lemke Software, makers of GraphicConverter. [2]

Contents

History

After invers Software had marketed and maintained the DTP software Calamus for various computer platforms since 1996, at latest in 2001, after the takeover of the Calamus program rights, the question came up whether Calamus should still be maintained as a native Atari application or better be ported to Windows or Mac OS. The port was too costly and lengthy to the developers. There was the idea of a whole new layout application natively to write in Objective-C for Mac OS X. The development of iCalamus 1.0 started in November 2003 and was completed with some delay in October 2006. [3]

iCalamus is often compared with InDesign, PageMaker and QuarkXPress in magazine reviews. [4] [5] Because of the similar name, it is often regarded as the new Calamus for Mac. [6] [7]

In March 2018, invers Software announced the cessation of its business operations and hence the distribution and development of iCalamus. In May 2018 it was announced that the GraphicConverter manufacturer Lemke Software took over iCalamus. Since then, Lemke Software has been distributing iCalamus on its own — and will further develop the program.

Versions

Thanks to a special plug-in which handles print orders for photo books, calendars and other print products of the Photographerbook company, it is also possible to print photo books and calendars created in iPhoto with the free, unregistered version of iCalamus. Standard iCalamus documents can be created with some limitations in the unregistered version. The registered version's current price is 129 EUR.

Being a Universal Binary, iCalamus 1 supported Mac OS X as of 10.4.5. Version 2 was released at the end of 2013, requires (since v2.14) OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) and is a 64 bit application. [8] The software offers twelve languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish. There is still no option to load Calamus SL documents directly into iCalamus.

Features

iCalamus can take whole web pages as PDF screen shots into documents. Using grouped shape frames, images can be masked in real-time. Like his namesake Calamus, iCalamus supports real virtual copies of frames, where there is no mother-child relation; all virtual frames change at the same time. All layout elements can be adjusted infinitely transparent. For creating masks and textflow polygons, a Tracer engine is integrated. iCalamus supports all PDF blend modes. The print output does not convert or touch ICC profiles of imported images. iCalamus is the first DTP application to support the LinkBack [9] protocol which allows to plug external applications like plug-ins or modules into the GUI of the software.

See also

Related Research Articles

Desktop publishing (DTP) is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal ("desktop") computer. It was first used almost exclusively for print publications, but now it also assists in the creation of various forms of online content. Desktop publishing software can generate layouts and produce typographic-quality text and images comparable to traditional typography and printing. Desktop publishing is also the main reference for digital typography. This technology allows individuals, businesses, and other organizations to self-publish a wide variety of content, from menus to magazines to books, without the expense of commercial printing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">QuarkXPress</span> Desktop publishing software

QuarkXPress is a desktop publishing software for creating and editing complex page layouts in a WYSIWYG environment. It runs on macOS and Windows. It was first released by Quark, Inc. in 1987 and is still owned and published by them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe FrameMaker</span> Document processor for the production and manipulation of large structured documents

Adobe FrameMaker is a document processor designed for writing and editing large or complex documents, including structured documents. It was originally developed by Frame Technology Corporation, which was bought by Adobe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corel Ventura</span> Desktop publishing application

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldus Corporation</span> Desktop publishing software company

Aldus Corporation was an American software company best known for its pioneering desktop publishing (DTP) software. PageMaker, the company's most well-known product, ushered in the modern era of desktop computers such as the Macintosh seeing widespread use in the publishing industry. Paul Brainerd, the company's co-founder, coined the term desktop publishing to describe this paradigm. The company also originated the Tag Image File Format (TIFF) file format, widely used in the digital graphics profession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe InDesign</span> Desktop publishing software

Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing and page layout designing software application produced by Adobe Inc. and first released in 1999. It can be used to create works such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, presentations, books and ebooks. InDesign can also publish content suitable for tablet devices in conjunction with Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. Graphic designers and production artists are the principal users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe PageMaker</span> Desktop publishing program

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scribus</span> Desktop publishing application

Scribus is free and open-source desktop publishing (DTP) software available for most desktop operating systems. It is designed for layout, typesetting, and preparation of files for professional-quality image-setting equipment. Scribus can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms. Example uses include writing newspapers, brochures, newsletters, posters, and books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GraphicConverter</span>

GraphicConverter is computer software that displays and edits raster graphics files. It also converts files between different formats. For example, one can convert a GIF file to a JPEG file.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe InCopy</span> Professional word processor made by Adobe Inc.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeway (software)</span>

Freeway is a WYSIWYG web design application for Mac OS X developed by the British company Softpress Systems.

Calamus is a desktop publishing application, originally built for the Atari ST computer. The first version was released on July 1, 1987 by the former German software company DMC GmbH. It is also able to run under a built-in and transparent Atari emulator on Windows, or on other platforms such as Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X, using any available TOS emulator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe FreeHand</span> Discontinued graphics software

Adobe FreeHand was a computer application for creating two-dimensional vector graphics oriented primarily to professional illustration, desktop publishing and content creation for the Web. FreeHand was similar in scope, intended market, and functionality to Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW and Xara Designer Pro. Because of FreeHand's dedicated page layout and text control features, it also compares to Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress. Professions using FreeHand include graphic design, illustration, cartography, fashion and textile design, product design, architects, scientific research, and multimedia production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MathMagic</span> Software for editing mathematical equations

MathMagic is a mathematical WYSIWYG equation editor, available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS since its debut in 1998. MathMagic is known for its DTP quality equations and is widely used by Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress users. MathMagic is a stand-alone multi-purpose equation editor application, allowing its equation to be used by most software, including word processors, presentation software, DTP layout software, and graphic software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affinity Publisher</span> Desktop publishing application

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References

  1. ↑ "iCalamus 2 Upgrades & demo versions". Lemke Software. 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  2. ↑ "Lemke Software übernimmt Publishing-Programm iCalamus" [Lemke Software takes over the iCalamus publishing program] (in German). MacGadget. 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  3. ↑ Thomas Weiss (2006-10-11). "iCalamus: "Wir haben keine Angst vor Mitbewerbern" - Macwelt". Macwelt.de. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  4. ↑ David Ben Leavitt (2015-06-10). "Software Review iCalamus 2.08". MLMUG. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  5. ↑ Magazine 'Deutscher Drucker', issue 24/2008, pg. 16f, "Satz- und Layoutprogramme: Ersatz für Indesign und Xpress"
  6. ↑ "An interview with Ulf Dunkel of iCalamus". MacNews. 2006-09-29. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  7. ↑ "Artikel aus c't 18/2007 zu iCalamus 1.09". Heise. 2007-08-20. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  8. ↑ Mauro Notarianni (2014-12-01). "iCalamus 2, il software di DTP a basso costo ora è a 64 bit" . Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  9. ↑ "LinkBack". Linkbackproject.org. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
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