QuarkXPress 6.0

Service and support of QuarkXPress 6.0

Service and support is the area where Quark XPress 6.0 really hits the skids. A printed manual is available only for a $50 fee; the program's help features are no replacement. Even if Quark's well-reported outsourcing of services to India doesn't worry you, the terms of service should. With the purchase of XPress 6.0, you get one free call or e-mail to tech support--for the life of the product. After that, it'll cost you $15 per incident, or you can buy service policies ranging from $95 for 90 days to $229 per year. Even if you're an expert who never needs to make a call to support, this policy is unacceptable for a professional app. Online resources such as FAQs and forums are not up-to-date, either. By comparison, Adobe offers 30 to 90 days of complimentary tech support for upgrades and new purchases (though it does also sell costly support plans for after that period expires).