“Content is free. Formats are not” is the article’s title from cnet. Now, this strays away from purely printing, although content in the digital printing world and certainly the publishing sector faces a similar fate:

“Content may be free, but the format in which we buy it certainly is not. As Apple, Google, Red Hat, and others increasingly demonstrate, consumers and enterprises are happy to pay for “free” when packaged in convenient formats that add value to digital goods.
….
All of these (re)purchases strike me that the media world may have problems, but they are mostly of discovering convenient formats in which to deliver content. Formats that suggest, and sometimes demand, payment.”
….
Good content is a necessary precondition to getting paid, but it’s not going to be reason we pay anymore. That reason for payment is the format in which the content is delivered.
Perhaps it’s always been that way, but the physicality of the delivery mechanisms confused us: we were buying the paper but thought we were buying the news.”
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10369471-16.html  Read more... (348 words, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)

Free data conversion services look good on the shiny web-page surface, but I recommend you try these out before jumping up and down. For instance, check this out. Some of my colleagues forwarded me this and asked me to post our findings. They tried http://www.pdftoword.com/ and both got back a message similar to this:

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
From: “PDF to Word” <no-reply@mail.pdftoword.com>
Subject: [PDF to Word] Failed to convert Xxxxxxxxxxxx.pdf
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Now, this could be just a fluke, but the point is you don’t get nothing for free. As the Dutch often say about making purchases (loosely translated), “A cheap purchase is a bad purchase.” (Well, anyway, rhymes in Dutch, really!)

And on that investment note, this one was rather interesting:
http://forums.adobe.com/message/2162894  Read more... (360 words, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

SANTA ANA, California, April 22, 2009 — Markzware (www.markzware.com), the leading developer of preflighting, data extraction and data conversion software has donated upgrades of its preflighting and conversion solutions to Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Print Media.

“This donation will help the students continue to develop and learn the importance of preflighting skills with FlightCheck . Access to the latest in preflighting technology, FlightCheck not only helps students to better understand the process, but it helps new graduates arrive on the doorsteps of future employers having mastered key software applications, and entering the workforce as highly productive employees,” said Mary Gay Marchese, director of public relations Markzware.  FlightCheck can be used to check several types of documents to be printed from a layout software program, brochure software, layout software, design software, digital graphic software, and various other kinds of software.

“We are very pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with Markzware,” says Erich Lehman, premedia facilities coordinator, RIT’s School of Print Media. “Their support for our students and programs has helped us to enhance academic exposure to the issues that arise during preflight in a practical manner using industry standard tools. Markzware also enables us to troubleshoot the latest problematic files. Their Q2ID and ID2Q conversion tools have saved many student projects in a pinch.”

Markzware has two new videos out to help customers of the very popular and easy-to-use Q2ID or QuarkXPress to Adobe InDesign CS3 or CS4 plugin for data conversion. These helpful videos include information on installation, activation, support and frequently asked questions or FAQ’s:

Q2ID – How to Install – QuarkXPress to InDesign Plugin

Q2ID – FAQ’s – QuarkXPress to InDesign Plugin

Markzware Exhibits At Affiliate PPC Classroom This December In Orange County
PPC Classroom Live Conference December 4-6, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA ANA, California, November 25, 2008 — Markzware (www.markzware.com), the leading developer of preflighting, data extraction and conversion software will be exhibiting (booth #12) at the Expert PPC Classroom conference at the Hyatt Regency Orange County on December 4 thru the 6th.

PPC Classroom Live is a three day conference which will give attendees the information, tools and connections to become a successful, commission-earning affiliate using pay per click search marketing.

Established in October of 2004, Affiliate Classroom is a leading publisher of educational tools for interactive marketers. The growing product suite includes courses, books, live seminars, digital magazines and online forums for affiliates, merchants and advertisers participating in the affiliate marketing industry as well as materials for PPC (pay per click) search marketing.

Learn about Markzware’s Affiliate Program at the PPC Affiliate Conference. We partnered with Avangate, a premiere affiliate service on the Web to power our affiliate program. They provide great real-time stats, and an easy way to watch your sales. Avangate affiliate program is one of the best on the web. We are proud to be a part of it.  Read more... (269 words, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)