Very soon Adobe will stop selling packaged software for a one-time fee. Going forward, designers will need to subscribe to (or “rent”) the software, paying approximately $20.00 to $50.00 per month for various levels of service ranging from access to one Adobe software package to access to all key Adobe applications.
I like to think that most things are negotiable when buying custom printing services.
A client of mine who is producing a self-published book describing his family's experience in World War II came to me with a request yesterday. His 9” x 12” perfect-bound print book had already gone to press, and he had seen proofs (actually a one-off version of the text produced on an HP Indigo, since the press run will only be 65 copies for family and close friends).
In Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe, the number “42” is presented as “the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.”
I'm seeing a lot more variety in the use of digital 3D and fabric custom printing within the fashion world, and I find this extremely exciting. It shows that print is more than ink on paper. It also shows that there's a market for the mass customization afforded by digital custom printing.
Old habits die hard. And this goes for print book proofing as well. Choosing a particular type of proof without considering your goals misses the point of proofing. Certain proofs are not always appropriate for a book run.