The dispute is over. Soft proofing won. It may not be a knockout, but it may well end up winning on a points decision. At the beginning of 2008, there can be very little doubt that monitor-based proofing (aka soft proofing) is capable of contract as well as content proofing in the context of the mainstream commercial print production workflow. Print buyers who are signing off on proofs say they are happy with the quality of soft proofing systems as long as a number of related criteria are addressed. Investing and implementing a soft proofing system within a company—whether you're a print buyer or print provider— is not simply a case of buying a product and installing the software. A soft proofing system is exactly that: a "system." The system may also include a certain type and brand of computer and operating system, computer monitor, the color standard you're working to, and some sort of measurement/calibration hardware or software to generate color profiles to ensure the system stays within the agreed parameters.
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