InSights Into Production

Dear PrintMedia,I've heard about PPML, but not I'm not sure how it applies to desktop publishing. I always assumed it was printer's jargon. Could you explain? -Printer's Say the Darndest ThingsDear Darndest,PPML is an acronym for personalized print mark-up language, an XML-based industry standard for high-speed production. Within a desktop publishing environment, PPML enables the widespread use of personalized print applications without having to navigate around various file formats. It was developed by PageFlex as part of the company's Print On-Demand Initiative (PODi). It works with the latest release of PageFlex Persona 1.5, a desktop application designed to produce customized documents in a variable printing environment that also supports system-specific drivers. More information about PPML is available at www.podi.org. Dear PrintMedia,I'll miss MacWorld in New York this year, but heard briefly about Six Degrees software from the San Francisco show. It sounds too good to be true, is it? -A Mac Living in a Windows WorldDear Mac,Six Degrees is a desktop software package released by Creo, a company that recently underwent a corporate makeover. Creo claims that the new product is a saving grace for users working within cross-platform environments. It essentially looks at the relationship between files and creates connections. And while that may sound a little mysterious, it's important to note that, yes, it indeed operates cross-media, cross-platform (Mac OS X and Windows) and interacts with all desktop applications. Essentially, those who edit creative projects will want to check out Six Degrees online at www.creo.com. Dear PrintMedia,I'm a fan of Eve Asbury's column in your magazine since it covers trends in the advertising world, but I'm always waiting for news about E-Ink. It seems like a fascinating invention that will have an impact. Any thoughts? -Mr. ModernDear Mr. Modern,Recently, E-Ink Corp., which is a developer of electronic ink display, released its Ink-in-Motion Design Kit. The flashing electronic display is an evaluation tool designed for marketers who are interested in adopting motion, such as animation, to attract customers at the point-of-purchase stage. Indeed, it's an invention that is causing a stir in the advertising and print production worlds. Since magazine's make money by selling print ads, it's curious as to how successful E-Ink ventures will affect the market, if at all. At a time when print publishers are tightening their belts and feeling a little pain from trends, such as alcohol advertising recently being accepted for television markets, E-Ink doesn't always solicit a smile from print-based peers, however, as a technology, it's definitely worth noting in the market. Check out PrintMedia's online archives to read more. Dear PrintMedia,I wondered if there were any new developments in the digital asset management field that are related to the newspaper industry? -News Is Good NewsDear News Is Good,Digital Technology International (DTI), a newspaper production systems provider, uses Sybase technology to manage its large image database and electronic files. Since DTI is the primary supplier for Cox Communications and Morris, a supplier of Gannett, the solution is getting plenty of airplay throughout the newspaper industry. In short, DTI uses high-volume files for daily newspaper production within primarily Macintosh-platforms. With Sybase, there exists a common database solution that fuses editorial and text editing solutions into one, supposedly supporting a more efficient system. Now, users access content with the database in layout that might as well be localized. Additional information is available at www.my.sybase.com.Dear PrintMedia,Are these letters for real? -SuspiciousDear Suspicious,That's why the editors decided to print yours. Feel free to ask us a technical question next time!To submit your own question, e-mail printmedia@napco.com!

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InSights Into Production

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