
Scribus
Scribus is an open source desktop publishing software.
What is Scribus?
Scribus is a desktop publishing (DTP) application. Scribus is designed for flexible layout and typesetting, and the ability to prepare files for professional quality image setting equipment. It can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms. Example uses include writing small newspapers, brochures, newsletters, posters and books.
Scribus Screenshots



Scribus Features
Scribus information
Supported Languages
- English
Comments and Reviews
Tags
- Support PDF layers
- Newsletters
- pdf-form-creation
- newspapers
- publisher
- brochures
- create-pdf-presentations
- poster
- pdf-presentations
I have used scribus for years for personal as well as professional usage. I have used it to create flyers, pvc banners, business stationery, signage as well as social media content eg twitter or facebook or youtube cover photos. I have also used it to create slider images for websites as the software allows custom page sizes apart from standard page sizes.
Once you know how to use this software, your creative imagination is the limit of what you can do with this software as you can see the examples of usage i have provided above.
Before installing the software, you should install ghostscript which is available for free online. Watch this video on how to install ghostscript and scribus successfully.
Hope you have a lovely time using the software :)
[Edited by Sabire, May 19]
Scribus is not very good looking or sleek, but if this doesn't bother you, you will find it is a great program, especially versions from 1.5 onwards. The only thing that irks me is the difficulty of importing text with italics and bolds preserved. But its CMYK color management and font management is one of the best among DTP programs. I learned book formatting with Scribus and I continue using it for this purpose, but I also use the proprietary VivaDesigner.
I am interested in creating greeting cards. Has anyone used Scribus for this, and how does it perform? Thanks.
On Ubuntu Linux the AppImage version works the best. That is the best publisher for Linux that I have found that is free. I ma sure there are paid ones that are better but this is more than enough for me.
Scribus is a very refined and user friendly software that I use to create PDF documents with Combo Boxes, List Boxes, etc. at my office.
We prefer the PDF rather than working with a WORD doc or Excel spreadsheet, so whenever possible I'll make the interactive document (usually a form of some type) with Scribus.
This is another great Open Source software that is amazingly well developed and powerful.
Scribus is one of the reasons why nobody takes open-source software seriously.
A bug where single-page view has the page stuck to the left edge of the screen without the ability to move it an inch, reported in 2011, fix scheduled for 1.6 release.
1.6 release that was supposed to be out in 2017. Current version of Scribus is 1.4. Need I say more?
In fact:
Which means Scribus is two years and four releases behind schedule. Releases whose numbers don't even match the chronology of dates.
At this point, Scribus can be considered abandonware.
[Edited by Angius, July 17]
You can easily add space to the left, right, top or bottom of the page by clicking: Document Setup > Display > General > Scratch Space
Reply written ago
Best alternative to expensive softwares such as Adobe InDesign. It lets you create professional high quality pdfs for personal or commercial usage. Has a steep learning curve but youtube has many videos explaining how to use it. My favorite for years.