Presentation:
The Book as Child of the Internet (PPT - 6MB)

A New Generation of nearly fully-automated print production factories is arising to provide the Internet generation with a wonderful array of new print publishing opportunities. These factories produce products that are indistinguishable from those produced by traditional methods, with one very significant difference: They can produce runs as small as a single unit—profitably. Coupled with powerful Internet-based software, these factories are transforming print from a medium accessible exclusively to a small number of wealthy players into a medium that can be used by anyone with a computer and an Internet connection. This presentation focuses on new creative opportunities made possible by these developments.

About the Speaker: Frank Cost is a professor in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology where he also serves as associate dean. The RIT College of Imaging Arts & Sciences offers a wide range of superb academic programs in art, craft, design, print media, new media, photography, and film & animation, and is the coolest place to work in North America. He is co-director of the Printing Industry Center at RIT, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Industry Center. His research focuses on the impact of digital technology and digital culture on print communications. He advises technology manufacturers seeking to understand the real needs of the industry. His latest book is The New Medium of Print: Material Communication in the Internet Age, published by the RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press.