DRUPA 2000--CIP3 Developments

Increasing anticipation in this meeting was evident due to two developments: the fourth "P" for Process to represent the new Job Definition Format (JDF), as well as the potential juggernaut of JDF versus printCafe's PCX specifications.

Forged by Adobe, Agfa, MAN Roland and Heidelberg beginning nearly a year and a half ago, the JDF initiative is an XML-based print workflow specification framework for the integration of business and management information. The JDF/PDF (portable document format) print supply chain is comprised of four distinct areas: (1) create/ author by interagency, department or outsource; (2) assemble by corp-orate design or publisher; (3) management by supply chain or electronic commerce intermediary; and (4) print production. JDF is intended to be a new standard, considered to be an extension of the print production format (PPF) for CIP3; a facilitater of the integration of all processes (business, management and production) within a fully automated workflow; and therefore, an enabler for CIM.