Quark is one of the old steadfast layout programs out there and has quite a following, but as April mentioned InDesign is the direction the future holds as it is more tightly integrated with other apps like Photoshop, Illustrator ...(and all the other Adobe apps ;)...)

More and more developers are making "suite" styled programs to work together and thus some of the older apps will fall into disuse. If you're starting out it's probably a better "time" investment to learn InDesign.

p.s. we also have a pretty inclusive "On-Line Graphics Dictionary" here if you look up on the righthand sidebar under the FEATURES heading, you'll find a link there.

don't be afraid to ask anything, that's why we hang around ;)

:)
retrocity

...oh and welcome to the forum ;)