[alap](http://www.alap.com), short for “A Lowly Apprentice Production” has been around for quite some time. They make XTensions for QuarkXPress, and recently started shipping a few InDesign plug-ins.

Back in the day, their Quark products were quite useful, filling in gaps that should have been in the base product. I don’t own any of their current products, although I did have my eye on [InEffects](http://alap.com/products/ineffects.html), a plug-in that may save me a trip or two to Photoshop.

But, I gues the InDesign section of the company may soon be fading away in the wake of [this news](http://www.quark.com/about/presscenter/prview.jsp?idx=662):

>Quark acquires A Lowly Apprentice Production Inc. (ALAP)

>DENVER – December 14, 2005 – Quark Inc. today announced that it has acquired the business and assets of A Lowly Apprentice Production Inc. (ALAP), a leading provider of extended technology for the publishing and graphic design industries. With the acquisition, Quark has acquired ALAP’s products, which add valuable functionality to the Quark product family. In addition, ALAP founder Paul Schmitt has joined Quark as vice president of product development. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Of course, Quark’s press release doesn’t mention what the company plans to do with the part of the alap line that *doesn’t* work with Quark. Would be nice if they released it to the world, but I doubt it.