Becoming a "Business Communications Service Provider"

Print service providers have historically been defined by output technology such as commercial color, sheet-fed, web offset and large-format. These print technologies by themselves can be easily commoditized. As the market begins to migrate to a digital infrastructure, Print on Demand – or POD – represents something far more interesting and important than technology for technology’s sake. POD hardware and software offer the potential for new ways to communicate business information. The primary focus of successful users of POD technology is building a services portfolio and positioning their companies to provide 'business communications solutions and services.' These users are looking at digital printing and the associated services as a way to decommoditize printing and increase both profitability and customer loyalty.

Pellow, Barbara A. Digital Output (2004). Design>Document Design>Prepress>Printing

The Big Picture on Monitors

The analog format of the CRT is challenged by the digital capabilities of the LCD monitor.

Hawver, Mark. Digital Output (2003). Articles>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Computer to Plate Hits High Tide

Technology tends to be an irresistible tide, tugging individuals and businesses toward the newer, the faster, the better, and punishing the holdouts with obsolescence. No industry and no profession can escape that steady march of upgrades and improvements. Computer-to-plate imaging (CtP) has certainly not been an exception, driving all but niche shops to abandon the old (film imagesetters) for the promise of the new.

Franklin, Tom. Digital Output (2003). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Printing

A Horse of a Different Color is Fine--Just be Accurate!

As much as the hardware and software manufacturers in the digital imaging world would like you to think that buying a digital camera and a photo quality printer will make you Ansel Adams, those of us that earn our living as pixel jockeys battle with color management in one way or another every day. Depending on your workflow and the final destination of your images, there are a number of ways to keep your colors accurate.

Dorgay, Jeff. Digital Output (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color