Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Features Plus!
I was looking at some scanners yesterday. These are top of the range scanners that scan up to 50 pages a minute. These are not for our industry, used in the legal area or in the offices of big companies. What amused me was the buzz words used to advertise these scanners. One of the scanners featured “MANUAL DUPLEXING”. Now that got me! Manual duplexing? So I had to ask. Well what manual duplexing is you the operator have to turn the pages over to scan the other side. So in my innocence I had to ask ‘Is there Automatic Duplexing for Document Scanners?’ Yes, was the answer for another $2,000.00 you can have “TRUE DUPLEXING”. Well that answered that didn’t? This got me thinking the buzz words we use in our industry maybe could use a touch up or two?
Manual Weeding Feature and gliding Mice!
How about MANUAL WEEDING for vinyl cutters? One could go on and on in this vein. So I think I will leave it there. No I cannot, I just had to add this bit of nonsense – the new Logitech G5 Laser Mouse has “POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE GAMING FEET”! Now didn’t you always want to know that. And guess what? These feet offer “EFFORTLESS GLIDE”. I do not think I will ask about this. Now I have been using a mouse on a computer since the day they were available and I am racking my brains to see if I ever struggled with a mouse that required effort to make it move or glide. You know I have used some really awful mouses or should that be mice in my time however I just do not recall one that required a massive effort to move.
What video Card should I put into my computer?
On to more serious things. Today I would like to touch on the subject of video cards. Now I am assuming you are a non computer games player and you only use your computer for work. Like me of course! It disturbs me that the supply side of computers appears to devolved again into anarchy. For a few years you were sure if you bought a new computer from just about anyone you would have a good machine. Not so now in 2006. So each time I am going to talk about a part of your computer, worry not, I am not going to get into the deep technical stuff. Just the stuff you should know and do not know who ask without feeling a bit stupid.
2 Rules when buying a video card!
Back to Video cards. There are two rules if you are going to buy a new video card. The first is the more RAM the better. The second rule is that it MUST have a GE-Force Chipset.
OK, why? Well for several reasons. The first is that SignBlazer supports a large number of screen entities (the things you draw on the screen of SignBlazer such a text or a square) that are not supported by windows. (Try this – apply some special effects to some text and turn off FULL RENDER – notice how they disappear?) The second is that SignBlazer actually supports the GE-Force chipset at board level. I will explain. The GE-Force chipset people make the source code to drive their board available to developers. So we used it to make SignBlazer go even faster.
So when you specify a new computer you ask for a video card with 256Mb of RAM and GE-Force Chipset.
Prices so you do not get cheated or RIPPED OFF!
Here in Melbourne Australia I can buy such a top of the range video card for about A$210.00 for 256Mb and with 128mb about A$160.00. Each time I will cover an important aspect of buying a new computer and why you should choose the components I discuss. I will give price guides as well so that you do not pay too much. Remember that the above prices are the best available and you may only get within 10%. If you do you are doing well.
Website to visit
As I promised I would give you two websites that I have found and like and are worth a visit.
First Site --- Come on all you signmakers and use some of these techniques to make more interesting signs! See how at this great site http://www.2loop.com/3drooms.html. Here are some other great effects that signmakers could use. http://www.impactlab.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7567 – well when will someone send me a photo saying – Hey Jerry I have been doing this for years! Here are some photos! Imagine this could be done on a wide format printer. If anyone would like to see this as a feature in SB (not promising) please email me.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Awful Vinyl Signs & "BUT"
My fist words!
This is actually a lot harder than I would have thought. I have my very own open forum to say what I wish and I cannot think of a single opinion to express. Anyone who knows me would find this unbelievable. Aha, all is not lost. I live in Melbourne and it is almost the end of June and the middle of winter. On my way to work this morning after pouring hot water over my car’s windscreens to get rid of the ice --- I was stuck next to a large florist truck. The truck had panel sides (as apposed to the normal flexi-sides). The graphics and the text design was a masterpiece. They were well balanced and the choice of lettering style was carefully thought out. All in all I would give the signage an A+ but!!! Oh, yes the almighty BUT. ‘But’ is an interesting word. Ever notice how it instantly brings up negative connotations in a listener? No, well then just say to someone “Gee, Joan you are a really nice person BUT.” And just stop there. Get the idea?
Awful Signs
Well back to this great BUT awful sign. Well what was wrong? The actual vinyl used! It was all peeling off. The amount of work that had gone into the great signage and for the sake of a few extra dollars on better quality vinyl the work was wasted. The vinyl lettering had obviously not been on the truck long enough to fade. I just wish that I had had my camera with me. I suppose that I should take it everywhere.
Awful Vinyl?
Back to vinyl? I notice more and more now that the overall quality of signs has dropped considerably. I also notice that many particularly well designed signs use poor quality vinyl with obvious peeling and cracking. I am going to take photos of some of these and will put these photos up here. If there is a name of the sign maker I will contact them and ask what brand of vinyl was used. I am curious. Is it one brand or is it many.
Have unhappy customers by making an extra $50.00 on $1,500.00 profit!
In Australia we have about ten of the 30 or so brands available in the US.
My immediate thought is that the signmaker just used elcheapo vinyl. Then I thought more about this and realised that a signmaker with the ability and experience to design such a good sign would be mad to use a cheap vinyl on such a great sign for savings of about $50.00 on a $2,000.00 sign. Or least one would think so. So I will make an effort to see if this is just one brand out there or is it just the more widespread use of elcheapo vinyl?
Who Uses Elcheapo Vinyl? Not Me!
I know many, many signmakers and count many after so many years as close friends. I have discussed this subject with many and all have told me that after a single experience with poor quality vinyl that they would rather spend even double on high quality vinyl to prevent even a single complaint about peeling or cracking vinyl letters.
So where do all these awful signs come from?
Watch here and I will reveal all in future blogs!
Sites I found interesting (with each blog I will list any interesting site(s) I find on the net) http://imagesavant.com/ Also here is an artist I admire http://www.dunkelgold.de/main.html
