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Information
Developer's Toolkit
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models | processes |
In this Section: |
After you have produce and integrate the various elements of the communication product, you produce the master copy. For printed materials, the master copy includes instructions to the printer. For online materials, the master copy includes other elements of the package, such as diskette labels. The following sections explain what’s involved in preparing a master copy.
A package for printing includes a marked up copy of the master with instructions to the printer and a letter with additional instructions to the printer. Sometimes, you also provide a diskette with the master copy of the file to be printed.
The instructions provided on the marked up copy of the master vary, depending on the extent of work that you need from the printer. The printer’s copy should include instructions for:
Note that the printer’s markup is a copy of the master; do not mark on the master copy. The printer literally takes a photograph of the master copy to prepare the plates to be used on the printing press. Any stray marks on the master copy will appear in the printed version.
You might not need to provide all of this information, however. If you are using a full-featured desktop publishing tool and if your printer has the capabilities to support this, you need little assistance from the printer and can therefore signficantly reduce your printing costs by preparing color separations and plates on your desktop publishing software. You use color separations for those pages of your communication product that will be printed in more than one color. For example, if you are printing third level headings in blue, you need color separations. If you are printing color photographs, you need to separate the color in these photographs into the 4 process colors; the printing process will faithfully reproduce the originals. By indicating what should be printed in color, your desktop publishig software can produce the separations. Some desktop publishing software can also prepare the images needed to create the plates used on the printing plates. As producing your own color separations does, producing plates significantly reduces printing time and costs.
If you do not have access to such software or your printer does not have the facilities to take advantage of it, prepare a printer’s copy, in addition to the master copy.
In addition to the master copy (and, if you are preparing your own color separations and plates, a diskette of the master copy), also prepare a cover letter. The cover letter indicates important printing instructions:
For example:
Instructions to Printer
As we discussed yesterday, I am sending you the Adco Employee’s Manual for printing. Following are specifications for this job:
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Example of a Page from Printer’s Markup Copy
By now, the master copy of the online communication product itself should be ready. When you prepare the package for duplication, however, you also prepare the supporting materials (which usually are printed) and instructions to the people who will duplicate the materials. The exact materials that you provide depend on the medium used to distribute the information.
| If You Are Distributing on | The MaterialsYou Need in Your Production Package Include |
| Diskette |
Users look for initial guidance from some sort of printed material, rather than looking on the diskette itself. To prepare these materials, you follow the process for preparing master copies for printing describe earlier. You should also include a graphics designer in preparing the package. Ideally, you would hire a graphics designer who specializes in package design and can design a package that provides the greatest impact on users at the most effective cost. |
| CD-ROM |
Note the similarity between preparing a CD for production and preparing diskettes. The primary difference in their production occurs later, during the duplication process. |
| Server or web | The master copy that is already online is actually all ready
for distribution to users. But you need to consider two issues.
Also prepare materials describing tips and techniques about the communication product that can continue to market the communication product after its initial introduction. Note: You might also prepare materials to "market" online communication products distributed on diskettes and CDs, and for printed materials. |
In addition to these materials, you also prepare a cover letter with the package of the master that you send to the service that is preparing the diskettes or CDs for you. The cover letter indicates important instructions:
For example:
Instructions to Printer
As we discussed yesterday, I am sending you the Adco Employee's CD for printing. Following are specifications for this job:
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Example of a Page from Markup Copy for a CD
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(c) Copyright. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Saul Carliner. All rights reserved.
