QuarkXPress 6.x, as in previous versions, allows you to edit Master Page items right on the document pages themselves. In fact, unless you've memorized the make-up of the Master that the page is based on, there's no easy way to tell which items on a page are from its Master and which are "local" items you added to it outside of the Master. If you're working on a document page and choose Edit -> Select All, all items on the page are selected, including Master Page items. Press Delete/Backspace and poof! they're gone.

Sometimes, though, it would be nice to make it a little harder to modify Master Page items. Perhaps you've developed a template for freelancers, for example, and you don't want them accidentally editing your fine-tuned Master Page artwork and folios. Or maybe you'd like to be able to "Select All" on a document page and have Quark select everything *except* Master Page items, automatically.

With the advent of layers that can truly lock in QuarkXPress 6.x, you can do just that. Here's how:

So many clients love to use Word's clip art and drawing tools in their Word documents. Then they give us the files and expect the same artwork to be reproduced in high-resolution, process-color glory. Such a shame.

If you've tried it, you know what I'm talking about.

When you import a Word file containing Microsoft artwork into QuarkXPress, the artwork is ignored, only the text makes it through. When you place a similar file in InDesign, clip art makes it in as inline graphics, but not anything created with the drawing tools.

Every once in a while it's good to step AWAY from the computer ma'am and remind yourself of the beauty of type and tradition.

One example that made me want to unplug my computer for good and start scouting flea markets for old printing equipment is this movie:
http://elsa.photo.net/video/firefly-small.mov