Is it time to consider PDF a threat?

As Joel Hruska points out in his article on ARS Technica, Adobe seems to not be doing themselves any favors once again. Printers should seriously consider the possible damage that could be caused to a 6 figure piece of equipment because of a $49.00 piece of software. Read Joels article here: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080212-is-it-time-to-consider-pdf-a-threat.html

Has it all been said?

One of the interesting things about going to conference's is the opportunity to talk to people and explore the surroundings of a conference find restaurants nearby etc. A part of that interest comes in hearing the topics of the conference being discussed over the dinner table with people you have met only a day or two before and sometimes people you work with for years. I find it interesting in hearing the conversations of what was missing or what the conference lacked because likely those things do not get on the evaluations after the conference. At this show I have heard a recurring theme over the last couple of days there is some great information but none of it really applies to my business or my situation. Or, "they should have..." you know...they should have talked about this... OR they should have talked about that...Or why didn't they have this company or that company at the show. Sometimes this is just "Babble" you know the kind where the person saying it doesn't really know what they are talking about they just want to hear their own voice...or their afraid of the silence that might suddenly appear around the table. Other times though there are some good ideas...the one I heard today seemed very pertinent to this particular show. Companies are using systems to purchase and track their print costs and sometimes they are not always the right system for the job. So why did we not hear about purchasing and procurement systems? Why did we not hear about processes to make your production more efficient? Or even what kind of reporting is important to our supervisors or is reporting important even? The short answer for most of this is that I think there is a wide variety of personalities in this type of work. You have creative types that by their own admission spreadsheets scare them, and then you have the analytical's, the ones that if you stuck a paint brush in their hand they would think you wanted them to paint the house! It is a tough mix in this industry and I am not saying it should be all one way or the other, I just think there isn't enough focus on the analytics, the business side of producing print the processes involved in actually take a set of specifications and turning them into a brochure. For the next few weeks I think I will try to answer some of these questions you may have walked away without answers to. I think the reporting questions are probably some of the most important questions to answer as from a system producer perspective this is always one of the first questions about our system that I get from the decision makers in a company. So I will try to start with the questions and hopefully provide some answers for your boss. So back to my original question; Has it all been said? I don't even think it's been asked yet!!!
By the Way! This is a great show and has a LOT of variety!
JG

A Quick Note From Print Oasis 2008

Good Morning from Amelia Island FL.
The weather has been incredible these past few days...Sunshine, Warmth, the Ocean Breeze! The conference is busy and active as usual with great speakers and LOT's of Exhibitor's.
There are more exhibitor's at this years show than at least the last 4 years reaching more and more Print Buyers. It is 8:30 in the morning and the lecture I am sitting in is full of attendee's. My rough count is 250. The show floor is busy and filled with Print Buyers looking for everything form the latest in promotional items to variable data printing formats and technologies. There are Printers, Office Supply companies to Software Solutions providers exhibiting at the show. Tonight is the Paper show where some of the leading paper companies will be displaying their goods and materials for all to consider.
I am currently sitting in on Steven Lance and Paul Kurnit as they discuss branding 2.0 The session is focused on advertising and the print industry. The show is full of great information for all print buyers across any industry. Steven and Paul will be doing a book signing later today on the exhibit floor. Well time to get back to the show! Wishing you were here!

Print Oasis 2008 this weekend!

This weekend is Print Oasis 2008 being held at Amelia Island Plantation resort in Amelia Island Florida. The show begins Saturday and runs through Tuesday, with opportunities for Print Buyers and Suppliers to mingle and gain knowledge of the latest happenings in print procurement. This is a great opportunity as well to talk with print buyers from all over the country and gain insight into the needs of print buyers. James Tower will again be exhibiting at the show. I will be there along with one of our sales reps to discuss Cross-Wind and our many other services we provide to print buyers. If you are at the show please stop by and say hi and tell me what you think. You never know you might just get mentioned in my blog! Hope to see you there!!
Information about the show can be found at: www.printoasis.com