Adobe Systems

Adobe’s decision to add a connection to FedEx Kinko’s Print Online application to its new Adobe Reader 8.1 and Acrobat 8.1 has printers up in arms. Several hundred in-plants signed a petition of protest that calls the link “an unnecessary and invasive interference in our organization’s business.” NAPL, a trade association for printers, wrote Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen to stress the disappointment of its members. And PIA/GATF issued a statement saying the printing industry “felt terribly betrayed” by Adobe. The free Adobe Reader 8.1 has a “Send to FedEx Kinko’s” option within the File menu plus a FedEx Kinko’s beacon icon on the main

In-plants everywhere have felt shocked (and a little betrayed) to learn that the new Adobe Reader 8.1 and Acrobat 8.1 will feature a connection to FedEx Kinko’s Print Online application, giving in-plant customers an easy way to overlook the in-plant and send work outside the organization. The Association of College and University Printers is circulating a petition of protest to send to Adobe. It states, in part, “Your adding a commercial link complicates the process of serving our client base who may unintentionally send work outside the corporation or school believing that the link is authorized by our parent organizations. Please revisit your decision

PARAMUS, NJ—JUNE 27, 2007 – On behalf of the members of The NAPL Network, Joseph P. Truncale, president and chief executive officer of NAPL (www.napl.org), the trade association for excellence in graphic communications management, and Steve Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP), sent a letter to Adobe Systems, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Bruce Chizen expressing their concern over a recently announced agreement between Adobe and FedEx Kinko’s in which the newest versions of Adobe® Reader and Adobe Acrobat® software feature an embedded connection to FedEx Kinko’s PrintOnline application. The views in the letter

Adobe Systems and the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly will return for the second year to PrintFest to sponsor and present new technical education tracks. PrintFest 2007 will take place April 19-21 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. It includes a 200+ booth Expo on April 20-21. The Adobe tracks will focus on demonstrating the practical uses for enhancements to many of Adobes popular creative solutions. The Cal Poly tracks will cover topics including variable data printing, virtual proofing, image manipulation, knowledge management, RGB workflows and more. The Adobe track will highlight key elements and capabilities of

THE GRAPHIC arts market saw the need for industry standards and understood the growing XML (Extensible Markup Language) development when it supported the decision to create CIP4 (www.cip4.org). This association includes major equipment and software vendors in prepress, digital printing, offset and finishing. CIP4 created the Job Definition Format (JDF) as a standard way to exchange and understand job information. This process can begin to empower creative and production staffs to support an efficient manufacturing process. Tremendous efficiency can result from understanding the interdependence of each department. We largely still depend on paper-based processes that are isolated and disconnected with our current way

The Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation has selected 11 technologies to receive 2006 PIA/GATF InterTech Technology awards. Each company will receive a Lucite Inter­Tech star during the competition’s November luncheon in Milwaukee. The winning technologies are: • Adobe PDF print engine, Adobe Systems • Microsystems Microcip software module, C&P Microsystems • Dalim Mistral, Dalim Software • WebCenter, Esko-Graphics • Magnum ink formulation dispenser, GFI Innovations • Zero-slip nip enhancement, Goss International Americas • KBA Genius 52 UV sheetfed offset press, KBA North America • InlineFoiler, MAN Roland • DeskDirect, PrintSoft • Liberty sheetfed inks, Sun Chemical • uImage, XMPie Inc.

In-plant managers got a chance to see the technologies they've been reading about at the recent Graph Expo show. For the many in-plant managers in attendance, the recent Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2004 show in Chicago was a graphic arts fantasy land. "I felt like a kid in a candy store," observes Mike Renn, of Mellon Corporate Publishing, in Philadelphia. "I went to take a look at the latest direct-to-plate systems and software management packages and came away with numerous options." Attendance this year was pretty healthy, he adds: "I had to wedge myself between bodies to check out the latest gear." Other managers agreed. "I

Attendees at SUPDMC enjoyed great weather and even better companionship. by Jean-Luc Devis About 40 attendees from 27 various educational institutions got together in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., recently for the 27th annual Southeastern University Printing and Duplicating Managers Conference (SUPDMC). Colleagues from North Dakota and Minnesota escaped the snowfall in their respective states to enjoy 90-degree weather in southern Florida. This year's SUPDMC was organized and hosted by Bill Buckler, director of Printing and Graphic Arts at Broward Community College. Conferences are an excellent opportunity to meet with old and new colleagues, discuss common challenges and explore ways of

Disaster recovery was one of the hottest topics at Xplor this year, for understandable reasons. More than 5,700 people from around the world headed to Orlando, Fla., recently to attend the Xplor 2001 Global Electronic Document Systems Conference & Exhibit. Held at the Orange County Convention Center, the 22nd annual Xplor conference drew document and printing professionals, industry consultants and nearly 150 exhibitors. "Despite world events and economic challenges, the electronic document industry will move forward in positive and exciting new ways," noted James Shand, commercial director of edotech Limited, and Xplor International chairman of the board. Directions And Visions In one

In the first of two articles on PDF, we'll trace the path of PDF from its beginnings as a format for the paperless office to where it is today. (See part II here.) IF PDF documents have not affected your in-plant already, they will soon. Consequently, the future of your shop may depend on how much you learn about the Portable Document Format. To help you, IPG is presenting a two-part article on PDF, detailing its history and application in both the ink-based and digital/toner environments. Since PDF is a variation of PostScript, it's helpful to take a look back at the origins