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Wednesday, June 13, 2007

loladam

A reader sends in an image macro based on a photo from On Demand using the lolcats and the other lol memes on the internets as inspiration.

loladam.png

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Monday, June 11, 2007

Blogging at PrintCEO Blog

Randy Davidson, CEO of WhatTheyThink.com has asked me to become the managing editor of their new PrintCEO Blog.

I assume this position starting today and all my printing industry blogging will happen over there from this point forward. I will continue to maintain this blog for more technical discussions and personal blogging.

See you at the PrintCEO Blog.

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Friday, May 25, 2007

The Case for Print Media Advertising in the Internet Age

I just realized that the Printing Industry Center research monograph that came out of some of the work Pat Sorce and I did for the Print Council last summer is online.

Download The Case for Print Media Advertising in the Internet Age from the Printing Industry Center website.

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Thursday, May 24, 2007

(Almost) Done

It's been pretty quiet around here for a few weeks as I wrap up my thesis work. I have defended my thesis, received all the required signatures, and have turned in all the paperwork to get certified. The only thing left is to have it printed and bound (then I'm completely done).

This weekend I leave Rochester for good. My time here has been great. I have had the chance to work on some really fun and diverse projects with smart people in the imaging and graphic communication industry. Doing a little time at Xerox was also a rewarding experience.

I'm heading to the Twin Cities for time being as I look for opportunities to use my knowledge to do cool things. But, before any of that, I'm going to take a big road trip and see America and hopefully a number of graphic communication companies along the way.

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Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Do Not Mail States

During WhatTheyThink.com's Postal Rates and Reform - the Experts Offer Solutions, a listener asked which states have proposed Do Not Mail legislation under consideration.

Ben Cooper of the Print Council pointed to a new coalition called Mail Moves America as a source to get this information. I could not find a web presence for them (it looks like they might be working on it) to provide this information. So in the mean time, here are is the list of the 14 states (with links to the bills) with Do Not Mail legislation under consideration:

Thanks to the New American Dream group (the folks pushing for Do Not Mail laws) for the data.

A Bad Idea?

Joe Webb, Director of WhatTheyThink.com's Economics and Research Center recently pointed out in one of his recent columns (Subscription required) that a a "Do Not Mail" list would be bad for printers and consumers:

(Update via IM: Joe passed this link to a free article he wrote on the subject at WTT). Another update: Randy Davidson passes along a link to a free version of Joe Webb's analysis of the Do Not Mail movement.

"Do not mail" would be bad for the printing business and direct marketers; but most of all, it would be bad for consumers. Small and microbusinesses would no longer be able to announce their capabilities by mail. This is paradoxical, because most new businesses in recent years are home-based, saving energy and resources because their owners no longer commute back and forth to work, and many heavily use the Internet for tasks that would have required some form of greater energy consumption pre-Internet.

Most of all, print is an economical way for small businesses to seek customers, especially when they are already legally limited in the kinds of other solicitations they can do by phone—or even in person because of time and logistical concerns. Consumers always benefit when they have multiple businesses competing for their dollars. Limiting that competition by making it more difficult for small and microbusinesses to reach potential customers could ultimately cause market prices for goods to rise, and more importantly, serve as a barrier to entry for those new businesses.

Another point brought up by Webb is that there are already mechanisms in place to reduce the volume of unsolicited mail you receive. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) provides resources on removing your name from marketing, phone, and mailing lists. Its Mail Preference Service provides a Web-based method to remove your name from mailing lists. The credit card industry runs OptOutPrescreen.com, a Web-based service that lets you remove your name from credit card offer mailing list. 41pounds.org, a community of people working to eliminate a big personal nuisance and environmental hazard – junk mail, promises to eliminate 80 to 95% of bulk mail you receive by purchasing (it's $41) their unsubscribe service.

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Thesis Presented!

I just finished presenting my thesis which takes me one step closer to being done with my master of science degree. I have my formal defense on Monday. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I will be completely finished then.

My plan is to produce some type of screen or webcast of the presentation for those that could not attend, and to provide a single point of reference for an overview of my research (If anyone has any tips on creating screencasts, please get in touch.).

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Monday, May 7, 2007

Adjusting Some Pixels

I'm adjusting some pixels on Printmode. Drop me a line or leave a comment if you notice anything out of place.

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