WEB PRINTING SPECS -- SWOP for the New Millennium

It is important to note that SWOP does not profess to be a standard in the formal sense of the word. It is a specification that, in describing procedures and parameters, refers to accredited standards that formally document the accepted way to accomplish reliable communication in open environments.

SWOP is careful to avoid policies that hinder internal operations of, or cooperative participation by, any of the enterprises in the graphic arts chain. While SWOP's mission has been targeted at the magazine industry, its principles have benefited a much broader printing industry. Surveys have shown that it has become a recognized guide synonymous with basic color reproduction to some, but to others it is quite misunderstood, though often quoted.