PI's 45th ANNIVERSARY -- From Art To Science

Flatbed scanners had become the standard for capturing hard copy originals, but high-end digital cameras were seen as a practical alternative to film. Digital color proofing was displacing analog systems, giving rise to the halftone dots or no dots debate.

Computer-to-plate technology also was a hot topic, but story headlines were still asking, "To Buy or Not to Buy?" as early adopters often didn't even bother to calculate a traditional ROI for their systems. However, later in the year another article asked, "Why Buy an Imagesetter?" The answer was that direct-to-film was a logical first step toward CTP.