Modern Postcard

Glossary

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ACH: (Automated Clearing House) ACH is a payment option that withdraws the exact payment amount from the bank account of your choice. When placing an order, check ACH on your Order Form. Once we receive your signed Order Confirmation, we will fax an ACH authorization. Simply provide your account information, sign and fax back. We will process your payment within 5 business days. For your protection, we require a completed authorization form for each order.

Analog: Traditional method of transferring continuous radio signals to carry information via wire or cable. (Example: a telephone conversation).

Application: A program or group of programs designed for the end user. Application software includes database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. Applications can not run without an operating system.

Aqueous Coating: A clear, non-toxic finish is added to all color sides of the postcard to add brilliance and durability.

ASCII: (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) Pronounced "askee", it is a world-wide standard for how computers write and read characters. (Example: letters, numbers and punctuation)

Backside: For 4/1 printing, the non-aqueous coated, B&W side of the postcard. For 4/4 printing, usually the side that will contain postal information or other text and info.

Bandwidth: The amount of information that can be transmitted in a certain amount of time. Simply put, the capacity for dealing with multiple tasks.

Bit: (binary digit) the smallest unit of measuring information on the computer. A single Bit can only hold two values 0 and 1, by combining Bits together you can get more information.

Black and White Proof: A laser print for the customer to review their job, usually in text form.

Bleed: When an image extends off all four sides of the Postcard.

Border: The area between the image and the edge of a Postcard. Similar to a picture frame.

Browser: A program that locates websites and interprets text, graphics, sound and video. It allows the user to view websites and navigate from one to another. (Example: Netscape and Internet Explorer are the two most popular browsers)

Bulk-Rate: The process of preparing & sorting mail to qualify for reduced postage rates. The lowest postage rates are available if you sort and automate the addresses on your mailing list. Bulk-Rate postage is lower than First-Class, however Bulk-Rate has a longer delivery time. Note: Bulk-Rate is not less expensive than First-Class for our Standard size postcard.

Byte: A measurement of digital data capable of holding a single charter. A computer reads a byte as one unit or 8 bits. Larger amounts of memory are found in kilobytes, megabytes or gigabytes.

Camera Ready: A layout that is created by a client and submitted as one hundred percent black ink on white paper it is and printed as is. Usually contains text and logos in finished form.

CASS: (Coding Accuracy Support System) A service offered to improve the accuracy of address matching. CASS software will diagnose and correct any problems to ensure delivery point is correct.

CD-ROM: (compact disc ready only memory) A format for recording, storing and retrieving digital information such as graphics, software applications, sound and video. Capacity is 650 megabytes.

Cheshire Labels: a standard label format is printed on (blank) standard 11x14-7/8 computer paper, 4-across. The label size is 1 x 3.4 with no gutter.

CMYK: (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) the standard color model used in the printing process. It is often called four color printing.

Color Bar: A tool used to judge color accuracy of an image when shooting film for output.

Color Correction: Adjusting an image to improve overall color.

Color Proof: A close representation of how the finished Postcard will look.

Color Separations: The process of separating CMYK into film layers, each layer is than printed separately one on top of the other to give the impression of full color.

Confirming your order: We send a "Job Start" e-mail notifying you that we have received your necessary materials (images, text or digital files and payment) and have started production.

Continuous Tone: An unlimited range of color and shades of grays. Contrast: An image with light tones (highlights) and dark tones (shadows).

Cookie: A message is given to a web browser then stored as a text file called cookie.txt. These files contain information to identify you as the user.

Copy: Your message, including words, sentences and paragraphs that appear on the postcard.

Crop: To trim or remove unwanted portions from the image in order to make it the proper proportion to the Postcard.

Crop Guide: A tool used to show how an image may be cropped in proportion to our Postcard.

DAT Tapes: Digital Audio Tape. A kind of magnetic tape originally designed for audio format, now also used in computers to back up data. DAT cassettes are about the size of audio cassettes, and can store up to 12GB.

Digital Order: Jobs created by our client using an accepted computer application then submitted to us on disk or via The Internet.

Direct-to-Plate: This is a process where no film is used. A job will go direct to plate and then print eliminating an extra step, producing better quality.

Dot Pattern: A series of dots that make up a printed image.

EPS: (Encapsulated Postscript File) A file format that transfers easily between computer systems. This format is often used for high-resolution images that will be added to another document. (Example: Illustrator is a commonly known eps format)

Exposure: The amount of time film is exposed to a light source.

"F" Stop: The measurement of light able to pass through the photographic lens.

FAQ: (Frequently Asked Questions) Answers to the most common questions asked. A company will usually post them on their website or have literature available.

Fax-Back: An automated system we use to fax our forms and documents to the client's fax machine.

File Extensions: These are simply the types of files you save. (example: bestcustomerlist.txt or bestcustomerlist.asc...) You can save list files from a number of different programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, ACT, etc. Below are the most common extensions used for mailing lists:
.ASC: (File Extension Definition) ASCII text file.
.CSV: (File Extension Definition) Comma delimited.
.DBF: (File Extension Definition) Database File - dBASE.
.TXT: (File Extension Definition) ASCII text file.

File Format: Each different type of file has a different file format. A file format specifies how information is organized. (Example: EPS, TIFF, PDF, and formats for mailing list files such as .txt, .asc, .csv, .dbf)

Frontside: In 4/1 printing, this is usually the image and color-coated side of the postcard. In 4/4 printing, it is usually considered the side of the postcard that does not contain the address information.

FTP: (File Transfer Protocol) The process of copying files between computers over the Internet.

Build Online(SM) – patent pending 2003.

Gigabyte (GB): A measurement of data capable of holding 1,024 megabytes. Gigabytes are used to store very large amountsof information.

Grayscale: 256 levels of gray-from black to white.

Halftone: Black and white dots that vary in pattern to simulate shades of gray in an image.

Headline: A Headline is a sentence or words chosen to sit on the front of the postcard. It can be on top of a border or the image on the front of the card.

High-Res: The resolution (Res) of an image indicates the number of dots per inch (dpi). High resolution is usually anywhere from 300 dpi to 2,500dpi.

Homepage: The main page of a website. It serves as a website's introduction, starting point and guide.

HTML: (Hyper Text Markup Language) The language used to create documents on the World Wide Web. When you use a browser, everything from text to graphics is interpreted into HTML commands.

Image: Graphics or photos that represent the front of a Postcard.

Inkjet: A type of printer that works by spraying ionized ink at a sheet of paper. Ink-jet printers are capable of producing high quality print resolutions up to 300 dots per inch. Newer models offer even higher resolutions.

Internet: The Internet is a global network in which millions of computers are connected.

JPEG: (Joint Photographic Experts Group) A file format used for color images. It retains a higher degree of color and files are smaller. Unfortunately, the more you compress a JPEG file the more detail and color is lost.

Keyline: A thin outline or rule.

Kilobyte (KB): A measurement of data equal to 1,024 bytes. Kilobytes are used to store smaller amounts of information.

Laser Printer: A type of printer that utilizes a laser beam to produce an image on a drum. One of the chief characteristics of laser printers is their resolution -- how many dots per inch (dpi) they lay down. The available resolutions range from 300 dpi at the low end to 1,200 dpi at the high end. By comparison, offset printing usually prints at 1,200 or 2,400 dpi.

Layout/Final Approval: sent via e-mail of fax by 12 noon PST on the 2nd business day after the receipt of your order. This is your opportunity to review the entire order, from payment & job specifications to image placement and the typesetting of the job.

Line Art: Black and white artwork that does not contain any halftone screens.

Line Screen (lpi): The number of dot lines created per inch.

Login: The process of entering a username and password to gain access to a website or control information on a website.

Low-Res: The resolution of an image indicates the number of pixels per inch (ppi). Low resolution is usually anywhere from 72 ppi to 250 ppi.

Mask: This is a process used to delete unwanted areas of an image while maintaining its shape.

Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data equal to 1,024 kilobytes. Megabytes are used to store large amounts of information.

Moiré: An undesirable result in an image when a texture or screen is placed one on top of another. The image will appear fuzzy or wavy.

Negative: A reverse of an image created when processing film. Dark areas will appear light and light areas will appear dark.

Network: A group of two or more computers linked together sharing data from the same source.

Offset Lithography: Also called Offset Printing it is a process in printing where ink is spread on a plate then transferred to paper by using a blanket and pressing down.

PDF: (Portable Document Format) A popular way of formatting documents so they can be viewed and printed on multiple platforms the way you intended. You use Adobe Acrobat Reader to view a PDF.

Pixel: (Picture Element) An image displayed on a computer is made up of lots of dots called pixels. A number of pixels displayed is referred to as the image's resolution.

Plates: A metal sheet of coated material that transfers ink from the printing press to paper.

Positive: The end result of film once it has been exposed. The image contains dark and light values as well as color (Example: a 35mm slide is a positive)

PostScript: Is a language for printing, meaning it treats fonts, images and graphics as geometrical objects and stores it into one document.

PPI: (Pixels Per Inch) A measurement of how many pixels can fit into one inch. The higher the amount of pixels, the sharper the image will be.

Preflight: We will run your digital file through a process that finds potential problems. We will contact you, and may ask you to resubmit your file or sign a waiver.

Presort First Class Mail: The process of preparing & sorting mail to qualify for reduced postage rates. The lowest First-Class postage rates are available if you sort and automate the addresses on your mailing lists.

Press Ready Digital Files: We consider any digital files to be press-ready if they are 100% ready to print, requiring no additional in-house adjustment other than preflighting and prepress work.

Primary Colors: Are made up of red, green & blue - Additive Primaries (which create white light) and cyan, magenta, yellow, & black - subtractive Colors (which are used for printing)

Process Colors: Overlapping dots of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) to simulate a large number of different colors.

Program: (See also application) A program is a organized list of instructions, that causes a computer to behave in a predetermined manner. With-out programs, a computer is useless.

Raster: Graphics composed of pixels on a bitmap, allowing for solid colored objects and graphics as we know them.

Resolution: The Number of pixels that can fit into one inch determines the sharpness and quality of an image. This is the image's resolution (Example: 72 ppi is low-res, 355 ppi is high-res).

Resubmit: To submit materials for a current job over again. You may be asked to resubmit, if you have missing or incorrect files.

RGB: (Red, Green, Blue) When mixed together these colors create a white light. (Example: televisions and computers display color in RGB.)

Scanner: A machine that will convert an image into a screened pattern to be read by a computer.

Score and Fold: To make an indent in paper. This step is necessary when folding cards.

SCSI: (Small Computer Systems Interface) Pronounced "scuzzy," provides a faster data transmission than standard devices. A SCSI is used to attach any externals to a computer. (Examples: printers, disk drives, display monitors, keyboards, storage devices, scanner, and mice.)

Sketch/ Mockup: A rough drawing by the client to represent the Postcard layout and design.

Standard Mail: The process of preparing & sorting mail to qualify for reduced postage rates. The lowest postage rates are available if you sort and automate the addresses on your mailing list. Standard Mail postage is lower than First-Class, however Standard Mail has a longer delivery time. Note: Standard Mail is not less expensive than First-Class for our Standard size postcard.

Tab Delimited: Having tabs as separators between data elements. For example, in a database or spreadsheet, the tab key can be used to move from one field or cell to the next. The file is tab-delimited (even though the user also has the option to use the mouse to move around). The data from one of these files can be exported into a tab delimited text file.

TIFF: (Tagged Image File Format) A TIFF is the most widely supported file format for storing images on a computer. It can handle a range from one bit to 24 bits of photographic image color with equal ease. A TIFF can be black and white, grayscale or color.

Typesetting: To lay out words, text and logos on a Postcard for printing.

URL: (Uniform Resource Locator) The internet's equivalent to an address. It is the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web.

Vector Images: Object-oriented graphics of defined curves and line segments; these are resolution independent and can be stretched or resized. (Example: An Illustrator EPS is a Vector Image)

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“Our organization has been working with Modern Postcard since 1999. Using postcards has helped Photocharity raise over $1.5million, allowing us to get more homeless youths off the streets. ”

Jeffrey Sitcov

President, Photocharity