Acorn in Pre-Press Deal with AB Dick Release 22.9.92 Acorn Computers Limited has signed an agreement with A.B. Dick B.V. of Holland to supply its electronic publishing system as part of a computer based Pre-Press system being marketed by the Dutch offset press company. The Pre-Press system comprises an Acorn 32-bit RISC computer, together with a 256-level greyscale scanner, a video digitiser for 3D objects, an extremely fast 600 dpi "laser-direct" printer, "Impression II" publishing software from Computer Concepts Ltd, 200 outline fonts, and postscript drivers for easy output to all the well known photo-typesetters. Together with A.B.Dick's own two-colour A3 offset press the entire package is on offer for Hfl 38.975 (around #13,000). Alternatively, Acorn's Pre-Press system without the offset press is being offered for Hfl 17.000 (about #5,500). The new system was shown in public for the first time at this month's Pre-Press show in Utrecht where three orders were taken for the system on the first day of the show. Using Acorn's Pre-Press system, customers can easily produce work from the simplest A4 sheet, to a multi-page catalogue, to a prestigious brochure. The system price includes a comprehensive staff training package, a help desk and a 24-hour bulletin board for further information. Instead of taking the A4 Laser Direct printer, customers also have the option of going for an oversize A3 laser printer from Calligraph Ltd which prints at up to 1,200x1,200 dpi. By using this option the customer is able to output his work straight to a "plaser" plate without going through the intermediate stage of plate making from printed art work. Acorn's Publishing system combines the power and performance of Acorn's latest computer technology (for which it won a Queen's Award for Technological Achievement earlier this year) with professional software and peripherals. The "Impression II" software (which is available in a number of languages including Dutch) is easy to use, yet powerful enough for the most demanding of tasks. The whole system is one of the fastest on the market allowing changes in documents to be made almost instantaneously. Currently front end software is being developed specifically for the Pre-Press system to provide intelligent window menuing such that a complete novice can use the system without any special training. Acorn's Professional Systems Marketing Manager, Simon Woodward said that the agreement with A.B.Dick offers a cost effective publishing solution throughout the Netherlands at a price which is substantially less than that on offer from rival manufacturers. "For businesses looking to do their own typesetting on a limited budget, the Acorn and A.B. Dick Pre-Press system provides the most sensible and cost effective solution available" he said. "Acorn's Publishing system is unique in the world of electronic publishing. Our ARM3 32-bit processor running at over 13 million instructions per second together with our RISC Operating system and applications software have created a publishing system which outperforms the highest specification systems from most other publishing system vendors, yet falls within most budgets." Although the agreement with A.B.Dick currently covers distribution throughout the Netherlands, talks are currently taking place with other European companies in the A.B.Dick group. Ends Further information from Simon Woodward Professional Sales Manager Acorn Computers Limited Tel: (0)223 245200 and Peter Geertsen A.B.Dick B.V. Deventerweg 7 2803 MA Gouda Holland Tel (0)1820 67500 Issued by: Brian Salter Corporate Affairs Manager Acorn Computers _______________________________________________________________________________ aglo...@acorn.co.uk, moderator of comp.sys.acorn.announce. Submissions to announce-requ...@acorn.co.uk, other related mail to announ...@acorn.co.uk.