Publisher is NOT a word processor.. it is a Desktop Publishing program that
uses FRAMES for the placement of text and graphics..
In the olden days of 'Letterpress' printing (old printing machines that
printed by impacting onto the paper), a typesetter would have a chase (a
large wooden 'frame') in which he would place the characters and engravings
or carvings that would make up the printed paged.. smaller frames would be
placed within the large outer frame as separators.. in some cases, the frame
would have a printable edge which produced a visible box around a collection
of characters or a graphic.. in between all of the content were small
expanding blocks called 'quoins' that were tightened such that the
typesetters work would not fall out or stick to the paper as it was drawn
away for the next sheet.. the term 'to coin a phrase' came from the
typesetters art..
Another phrase you might have seen is "Hot off the press".. this relates to
the use of a system whereby, instead of laboriously making up a frame, the
characters would be moulded directly before use from a soft metal by the
printing machine.. as the newspapers came off the line, they would still be
warm from the process, hence the phrase..
This is essentially what Publisher does, albeit electronically.. when
creating a page in Publisher, you are following the time honoured practice
of typesetting.. it allows for the precise placement of any object within
the page boundary which you now know is called a 'chase'..
A link for you..
http://www.pneac.org/printprocesses/general/index.cfm#prepresstype
It will help you better understand why Publisher works in the way it does,
and you will fast realise the differences between it and a regular word
processor.. this will also help you in determining which program is best for
each 'job'..
