Prepressure covers design techniques, PDF, PostScript, fonts, JDF and numerous other prepress topics that have to do with printed communication.

Since December this site teams up with B4Print.com, the favorite stake-out of many prepress professionals who regularly visit its forums or the front page which offers the latest news on design, prepress and printing.

The poll

In the early PostScript days, the choice for a certain RIP solution was considered as important as that of an imagesetter. Companies would use complex custom developed test files to check the compatibility, quality and performance of a RIP. In recent years, this choice has become less of an issue and ‘True Adobe’ no longer seems to be a major sales argument.

Which platform do you prefer or do you think the choice has largely become meaningless? Please cast your vote using the poll to the right. As usual you can discuss this topic in a separate thread on the b4print forums.

Thanks Ben!

You may never have heard of Ben Dessaint. Neither had I until his name popped up in a search for information on the history of prepress. According to this Wikipedia page: “…During the 1980s and 1990s, Ben Dessaint invented these computer-aided prepress techniques which began to supplant the traditional dark room and light table processes…”

Since Ben hasn’t single-handedly invented digital prepress, I created a Wikipedia account and corrected the information last January. I decided to also check some other Wikipedia prepress pages, add information if needed and include a link to this site if appropriate. This proved to be a real ordeal. Another editor called my statement that RIPs are nowadays often called Renderers unfounded. The 3 links I provided as proof were ignored. The link to my RIP page was removed because it was ’spam’.

I gave up on trying to contribute to Wikipedia but this week-end I accidentally ran across that same prepress page again. Much to my surprise, Ben Dessaint had once again invented digital prepress! Apparently someone from Algonquin College, a Canadian applied arts and technology school, re-inserted the name a second time on 27 March.

In the past I always considered Wikipedia a valid source of information. These events have changed this perception and improved my appreciation for printed books. So I have to thank Ben, for reinforcing my belief in print and of course for inventing all those cool prepress technologies that kept me busy the past 15 years!

What’s new?

New or reworked pages on the history of JDF, Adobe Illustrator & PDF, PDF troubleshooting, JPEG compression, total ink coverage, PDF/X-5 and PDF/X-4.

Interesting threads on the b4print forums

- Quick tips for prepress
- How to flatten PDF files
- Using a generic prepress workflow to drive digital presses
- PDF errors and fixes
- Compensating for dot gain
- Online ordering systems

 

Older comments can be found here.