Variable Data Printing – New PDF Formats – PDF + VT = VDP – Part 3 – 19th May 2009
What happened to XPS?
Two years ago an article like this would have discussed the potential of Microsoft’s XPS technology, a comprehensive XML based document file format and printing architecture developed for the Vista operating system. XPS, standing for XML Paper Specification, is in some ways technically superior to current PDF. Global Graphics worked on its development and has built hybrid PDF/XPS capable printer drivers and workflows. It’s supported by a fair number of digital print vendors, including Canon, Epson, Konica Minolta, HP, Sharp and Xerox. Vista has suffered a fairly unenthusiastic response from the corporate market since its introduction in 2007. Despite its potential, XPS has made virtually no impact on professional print, even though Windows XP systems can access it through the XPS Essentials Pack.
It’s not going away though: it’s built into millions of PCs that shipped with Vista and it’s going reappear in Windows 7, the next-generation operating system due to ship within the next year or so.
To be continued…
