One of the great revolutions that the personal computer brought about was the ability to cheaply produce professional-looking documents. For the first time, users could create not just letters but posters, brochures and other documents that otherwise demanded a serious artist's eye. Serif has been producing good quality desktop publishing software for some time and PagePlus 9 is its latest offering.

The best thing about this application is the amount of support it gives the user. There is a separate CD that contains a range of tutorials, wizards, templates and extra images. For inexperienced design fans the tutorials are an invaluable resource as there is a lot more involved in putting a good page together than just tapping out prose.

Each template has a useful tips section that gives guidance on how best to lay out a document. Again, we think unseasoned users will learn a lot here about issues such as ensuring that imported images are of a high enough resolution not to look blocky when printed.

The interface can be a little overbearing as there are so many options and toolbars, but there are tool tips explaining what each one is for. It is even possible to save documents in web page format, making this useful for any website owner.

There are several new features added into this version that make it even more attractive. The first is the ability to export documents in PDF format. This is very useful if you are planning to send the document to professional printers, but also has the added advantage of being something of a lingua franca on the internet. You can be sure that any PDF document you email or make available for download will look right on any user's screen and they won't need a copy of PagePlus to view or print it out.

If you want to do more than basic word processing, this is an excellent package. There are abundant help resources and it is possible to create very professional looking documents in no time.

Contact: Serif 0800 376 7070
www.serif.co.uk