[Scribus] Re: Colour management...

[Carol Kankelborg]

PLinnell wrote:
> On Saturday 23 April 2005 17:53, Suki Venkat, [TnQ] wrote:
> 
>>Hi,
>>
>>Are these small digital PC printers in a position now to threaten
>>these large printing machines technologically and cost-wise -
>>analogous to the PC versus Main-Frame computers situation?
>>
>>Suki
>>
> 
> 
> Hi
> 
> Hardly, in my opinion. None of the smaller digital printers can 
> compete in scale or in consumables costs, nor handle bulk paper.
> 
> It is impressive to visit one of the largest printers in the world and 
> see an 8 story press digest 2 meter high rolls of paper at one end 
> and send out fully printed, cut, folded and stapled 4 color catalogs 
> at the other end at a rate of thousands per hour. 
> 
> 235,000 digest size (half US letter) copies completed, including 
> boxing in less than 24 hours. Enough to fill one full tractor trailer 
> and another 2/3 full.
> 
> Where the smaller digital printers are competitive is driving down the 
> cost per unit of short run 4 color. Plus, the quality is getting 
> better and better.
> 
> There are a couple of commercial printers on the list, maybe they can 
> give more specifics.
> 
> Peter
> 

I do not know anything about professional printing presses but I worked
in the main frame business for several years. PCs have sqeezed out
mainframes in many areas due to cost, but mainframes still have their
place, especially where throughput, robustness and error detection are
essential, such as in the banking industry. From Peter's description,
large-scale presses still have there place, and will for a long time to come.

The best analogy I've heard is the following: A small business jet may be
the cheapest plane to run per mile -- much cheaper than a jumbo jet, but
if you want to get 500 people from New York to San Francisco, it is
ultimately more cost-effective and efficient to use the jumbo jet. But, if
you're just taking 3 people from from New York City to Albany, NY you'd
take the business jet. Each has its place, but over time the point at which
switching from one choice to the other makes the most sense changes.


-- 
Carol Kankelborg