Anyone interested in pilot testing a new preflight program?

Started by Greg_Firestone, October 25, 2011, 01:12:29 PM

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Greg_Firestone

Hi all,

I'm currently working on a new preflight program designed for small and medium size publishers and printers. I'm looking for more pilot testers to provide user feedback which translates to "who wants to use the software for free as long as they'll give me feedback". I want to know what you like, what you don't like, what can we improve, etc.

It's a cloud-based solution so there's no software to install. All you need is Adobe Flash 10.0 or higher and Acrobat 9.0 or later (Acrobat Reader is fine). It imports any PDF, EPS, PS, JPG or TIFF and outputs PDF/X. It automatically fixes a ton of items including unwanted 4C black text and vector objects, over-inking problems, overprint issues, incorrect colorspaces, and more.

If you like to tinker with 100's of settings (which is probably most of the people on this forum), you might be disappointed because most of those settings are hidden from the end user. The software has preset job options designed for North American newspaper and commercial workflows. We plan on adding settings for additional geographical regions in the future.

If your interested in testing, drop me a PM and I'll provide you access. It's free to use, no strings or hidden sales agenda. I'm just looking for useful product feedback.

Regards,
Greg
_______________
Technical Project Manager
OneVision Software

David

does it do a preflight on a pdf without any fixes?
We like to tell people what they have wrong in the file, not just blindly fix things for them.
Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

delooch

Hello, would anyone like to participate in having their own jobs replaced by a piece of software? its free! maybe try offering ice to the eskimos?

Greg_Firestone

Hi David,

It automatically performs fixes. There are logs which indicate the offending items so you could just discard the output file and use the logs to explain to someone what was wrong/needs to be fixed.

If more people are interested in preflight only (without automatic correction), it's something we can look into offering. We initially felt there was more value to the software if it automatically corrected files but if users want preflight only, we should definitely implement it.

Regards,
Greg
_______________
Technical Project Manager
OneVision Software

Greg_Firestone

Quote from: delooch on October 25, 2011, 01:19:21 PMHello, would anyone like to participate in having their own jobs replaced by a piece of software? its free!

I appreciate the honest reply. I suppose you could look at any software that fixes files in a similar manner: Pistop, Apogee, etc. The last thing any of us want is for the software to replace a person. I don't think it can/will. It's just a software tool for you to use.

Greg

_______________
Technical Project Manager
OneVision Software

t-pat

I wouldn't worry about it, if your customers are like mine, there's no way software will be able to "fix" most of what's wrong with their files. It sounds like a good tool but not magic.
vdp donkey
gmc inspire • sarcasm while you wait

rickself

Good prepress requires interaction. Even Pitstop, as good as it is, requires interaction.
I had a boss once that thought all you do is load a file and hit print. I appreciate your effort but telling someone with 25 years of prepress experience that one program will do all is another cloud.
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

delooch

human eyes & experience bro.  then again, my shop of 10 employees has been trimmed to a staff of 2, thanks to the digital age. i may have reservations.

rickself

Automatic preflight is akin to OCR scanning of pages of text. You still have to go back through and double check. I'm not burning any plates without manually going through my files. It just doesn't make good sense or cents to drop any file into a drop box and expect good results. Keeping clients is hard enough in this competitive business.
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

DigitalCrapShoveler

If I said anything, it would just be a repeat of the above comments, which I totally agree with. Maybe a graphic design forum would be a better place to test this out. Designers have no clue how to compose a proper PDF, even when they are told... and they LOVE automatic shit. Magic Wand Tool anyone?
Member #285 - Civilian

Greg_Firestone

Quote from: rickself on October 25, 2011, 01:37:07 PMGood prepress requires interaction. Even Pitstop, as good as it is, requires interaction.
I had a boss once that thought all you do is load a file and hit print. I appreciate your effort but telling someone with 25 years of prepress experience that one program will do all is another cloud.

Hi Rickself,

I agree with everything you say. I would never bill this as a magic program that fixes every problem out there. It's just another application out there to help fix files. The folks on this forum are pretty knowledgable and very good at trouble-shooting files. I've visited some small shops and newspapers which simply don't have resources to fix difficult problems files - be it technical expertise or budgets for software. In the end they end up rasterzing PDFs in Photoshop or trying to get the original source files (if they can). They do what they can with the tools at their disposal. This is just another option, but by no means an solution to every issue.

Greg

_______________
Technical Project Manager
OneVision Software

rickself

Quote from: DigitalCrapShoveler on October 25, 2011, 01:53:27 PMIf I said anything, it would just be a repeat of the above comments, which I totally agree with. Maybe a graphic design forum would be a better place to test this out. Designers have no clue how to compose a proper PDF, even when they are told... and they LOVE automatic shit. Magic Wand Tool anyone?
Agreed. Graphic Design Forum will eat up something like this. Any way that deziners can get me a better, cleaner file is a plus.
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

born2print

Quote from: Greg_Firestone on October 25, 2011, 01:58:28 PM
Quote from: rickself on October 25, 2011, 01:37:07 PMGood prepress requires interaction. Even Pitstop, as good as it is, requires interaction.
I had a boss once that thought all you do is load a file and hit print. I appreciate your effort but telling someone with 25 years of prepress experience that one program will do all is another cloud.

Hi Rickself,

I agree with everything you say. I would never bill this as a magic program that fixes every problem out there. It's just another application out there to help fix files. The folks on this forum are pretty knowledgable and very good at trouble-shooting files. I've visited some small shops and newspapers which simply don't have resources to fix difficult problems files - be it technical expertise or budgets for software. In the end they end up rasterzing PDFs in Photoshop or trying to get the original source files (if they can). They do what they can with the tools at their disposal. This is just another option, but by no means an solution to every issue.

Greg
Thanks for thinking of us Greg. This may also appeal to CSRs that preflight?
Stop laughing! We have a few that try at least!
How will I laugh tomorrow...
when I can't even smile today?

delooch

Quote from: rickself on October 25, 2011, 02:06:08 PM
Quote from: DigitalCrapShoveler on October 25, 2011, 01:53:27 PMIf I said anything, it would just be a repeat of the above comments, which I totally agree with. Maybe a graphic design forum would be a better place to test this out. Designers have no clue how to compose a proper PDF, even when they are told... and they LOVE automatic shit. Magic Wand Tool anyone?
Agreed. Graphic Design Forum will eat up something like this. Any way that deziners can get me a better, cleaner file is a plus.

true. not to poo-poo on new ideas, but im the last person who touches the file between submission and RIP. trusting my output to a piece of software that is supposed to work correctly.. and if it doesnt, its my ass they are coming after, not the software vendor. I agree with the other posts, that maybe in a designers hands this would be more useful.

Greg_Firestone

#14
QuoteAgreed. Graphic Design Forum will eat up something like this. Any way that deziners can get me a better, cleaner file is a plus.

Unfortunately Graphic Designers have gotten so used to printers like you and delooch fixing their jobs they've settled on the limited amount of prepress knowledge they have. I spoke to one small publisher who sends out his monthly newsletter to a local web printer. He had no interest in testing the software. I asked why and his response was that the printer takes care of all of his files. He then added that he doesn't even pay extra for this because the printer wants to keep this business. I can't blame him for not wanting to try the software.

I've actually spoken with a few agencies and designers but there hasn't been much interest. Without trying to generalize, designers don't really want to hear about designing files properly or technical limitations (e.g. 5 pt white serif type of a 4 color background). I think some of this is instilled during their education. Very little effort is placed on designing for print. I've been in contact with some graphic design programs and they are not very responsive. One told me printing is "slippery technology" and said she focuses the curriculum on print design and web design. I'm tried to explain how lithography hasn't changed since 1796 but it was pointless.

Greg
_______________
Technical Project Manager
OneVision Software