Will Emerging Standards And Specifications Help Us Normalize Digital Magazine Publishing?

The emergence of an industry standard is usually a sign that that particular industry or practice has reached a tipping point of market acceptance and potential profitability. A pre-digital example, SWOP, established a common procedure for offset printing color consistency and quality. It encouraged innovation and competition by vendors — especially in the area of proofing — and allowed advertisers, publishers, and printers to lower their operating costs. HTML is another example, illustrating how some vendors and developers can create a common framework for cost-effective innovation.