Don  Lancaster's Guru's Lair Book-on-Demand Publishing   Library
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With Book-on demand publishing, books or other printed content
are produced only when and as they are ordered and paid for. In
very small quantities or even on a volume-by-volume basis.  

The crucial secrets to  Book-on-demand publishing are to use toner 
or inkjets rather than "real" ink, and to work with small and cheap
laser or inkjet printers rather than a dollar-gobbling printing press.

Combined with Adobe Acrobat or similar makeready software.

This library page holds a collection of Book-on-Demand resources
that are a mix of historical archive papers and current BOD links.

While I was an early pioneer in BOD publishing, today I feel that
the advantages of eBooks are now utterly overwhelming and that the
potential market window for BOD may be rapidly slamming shut.

My own inability to find acceptable mid-volume binding and trimming
solutions combined with the utter lack of a fifty cent "pop it in the
microwave" home binding cover kit tends to support BOD emerging
a lot slower  than I once had hoped. If it does at all. As did the slow
emergence of duplex printing inkjets.

Some of my early tutorial files are "pre-Acrobat" and demanded the
use of PostScript speaking laser printers. Today, host backed
Acrobat Distiller makes a dandy general purpose PostScript
interpreter, and greatly simplifies makeready while drastically
reducing your costs.      

Most library files require an Adobe Acrobat 4.0  plug in for online
viewing.  Offline, these may be accessed by an Acrobat Reader or
an eBook Reader or any other .PDF accepting program.

These days, you may want to seriously consider....

Lulu          The earliest and the highest profile on-demand publisher.

Lightning Source         Associated with the Ingram traditional book distribution service .

Cafe Press         Mostly T-shirts, mugs, etc... expanding into on-demand books...

Create Space         Associated with leading online bookseller Amazon.

Author Solutions         Offers a number of offprint brands. 120,000 titles published.

Resource Bin #66  RESBN66.PDF (July 1997 )         Useful tools for Book-on-demand publishing. Adobe Acrobat.         Which printer? Papers. Bound and determined. Useful BOD         publications. For more info. Monthly contest..

Click here for Acrobat book info.
Click hereto reach the Acrobat library.

Use Distiller as a General Purpose PostScript Computer       Acrobat Distiller or GhostScript makes a superb general purpose       interpreting PostScript computer with amazing capabilities. This       HTML tutorial includes fundamentals and a dozen+ linked demos.

Click here for Don's Gonzo PostScript Utilities.
Click here for Don's PostScript Beginner Stuff.

Don's Classic Early BOD Columns BLAT1-5.PDF       Older Blatant Opportunist archive includes the Publishing Book-on-       Demand (1), Desktop Finishing Ideas (3), and Son of Destktop       Finishing (5) columns.

Click to reach our Blatant Opportunist library.
Click here for Don's PostScript Beginner Stuff.
Click here for Don's PostScript Secrets.

Early BOD stuff from the Ask The Guru Archive       A collection of hundreds of shorter Book-on-Demand topics       and items from Don's Ask The Guru columns that appeared in       early issues of Computer Shopper magazine.

Click here for PostScript Serets reprints.
Click here for the PostScript Beginner Stuff.
Click here for a PostScript Show and Tell.

Resource Bin #92  RESBN92.PDF (September 1999)       Exploring some PostScript possibilities. What is PostScript? Adobe       Acrobat. GhostScript. Gonzo Utilities. PostScript and the web. PS as       language Examples. Scripting combo. PostScript Robotics. More..

Click for the RESBN92.PSL sourcecode.
Click to reach the Resource Bin library.

Blatant Opportunist #50  TWENTY47.PDF       Secrets of 24/7 publishing where content is continuously provided to      both online and hard copy. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days per      week. Advantages. The downside. Income options. Insider techniques.

Click here for additional Web Access resources.
Click here to view our Bargain Pages.

Blatant Opportunist #48  INFOPACK.PDF          Don's secrets of "Cash and Carry Consulting". InfoPack       concepts. Efficiency. Putting the Info into the Pack. Some       mechanics. For more help. Extensive web hot links..

Click here for more InfoPack details.
Click to reach our Blatant Opportunist library.

Blatant Opportunist #23  REV1001.PDF       Book promotion and publishing options include the thousand       and one reviews. Explores traditional and self publishing, book       packagers, service bureaus, marketing and promotion.

Click here for PostScript tutorials.
Click here for Live Auction bargains.

Blatant Opportunist #46  BANNYEAR.PDF        Insider banner advertising secrets. Opportunities. The downside.       Creating a banner. Measuring response. Using log files. Redirection.        Payment options. Some hints. Additional help.

Click here for more banner ad  info.
Click here for a partnering opportunity.

Blatant Opportunist #58  STEZINE.PDF       Some thoughts on ezines. Benefits to advertiser, reader, author, and      publisher. Dynabooks and the straw man. Subpixel tricks. "wag the      dog" survial strategies. Getting paid. For more assistance.

Click to reach our Blatant Opportunist library.
Click to reach our Webmastering library.

Blatant Opportunist #19  BOUNDDET.PDF       Workable binding options for Book-on-demand publishing. Tutorial       covers Velobind, various thermal binding options, and commercial       alternatives. Improving cover durability. Shear nonsense. Directory.

Click here for bookbinding books info.
Click for a partial BOD Binding solution.

Tech Musings #135 MUSE135.PDF (April 1999)       Thoughts on brain parity. Fundamentals of impulse radio.        A "new" bookbinding method. Some Richard Feynman books.        MEMS nanotechnology CD ROM. Aerosence conference.

Click to reach our Tech Musings library.
Click here to view our Bargain Pages.

Blatant Opportunist #14  REVISBOD.PDF       Don Lancaster tutorial on Revisiting Book-on-demand. The bad stuff.       Key secrets. Economic factors. Slecting a printer. Speed issues.       Bound and determined. Who needs it? For more help.

Click to reach our Blatant Opportunist library.
Click here for Instant Consulting solutions.

Blatant Opportunist #16  POSTJUST.PDF       Insider secrets of post justification editing. Typeset first, edit last.       Match form AND content. Fill justify with care. Playing with fonts.       Edit down, not up. The phrase bomb. A last pass by hand.

Click here to reach the PostScript library.
Click here for PostScript Book access info.

Blatant Opportunist #20 BODRES1.PDF       First half of an annotated directory of Book-on-demand publishing       resources. Includes a discussion of selecting a BOD printer and       links to a few related files.

Click to reach the BODRES2.PDF continuation.
Click to reach our Blatant Opportunist library.

Blatant Opportunist #40 SPOTCOLR.PDF        Insider secrets to making B/W print more colorful include       papers, preprints, toners, diecuts, color toners, Kroy Color,       Bakerizing, highliters, and a sneaky new PostScript Colorizer.

Click here for Test Equipment Bargains info.
Click here to visit the GuruGram library.

Blatant Opportunist #39  PUBALTS.PDF       The five main options for self publishing these days include        ink, toner, electrons, video, and CD ROM. The strengths and        limitations of each alternate are explored in depth.

Click hereto reach the Acrobat library.
Click here for PostScript tutorials.

Resource Bin #68  RESBN68.PDF (September 1997 )       Some terribly tricky terrific toner techniques. Printed circuits. Decals.       Transfer papers. Specialty products. Cross links. Laser  Buddy. Wood       veneers. Pressure ploys. Magazines,. Foil effects. Micro Dry Inks.

Click to reach the Resource Bin library.
Click here to view our eBay live auctions.

Blatant Opportunist #47  TRIMODE.PDF       Guidelines for tri-mode publishing. Advantages of electrons       and plastic over paper. Use Acrobat. Optomize for PostScript.       Colorize. Link up. Provide search options. Optimize web viewing..

Click to reach our Blatant Opportunist library.
Click here for cost effective research solutions

Tech Musings #105  MUSE105.PDF  (October 1996 )       H-P 5SiMx laser printer hard drive interface, new video and audio       chips, navigation resources update, understanding digital filters,       triple tri-sample building blocks, linear phase techniques.

Click here for more PostScriptdetails.
Click to reach our Tech Musings library.

Tech Musings #116  MUSE116.PDF  (September 1997 )       Reading web site log files. New self-calibrating op amp. Hand       bookbinding resources. Interpreting HTML error codes. Making       low level measurements. Source for wood microveneers.

Click here for fast access to Bookbinding Titles
.Click for a partial BOD Binding solution.

Blatant Opportunist #34 ACROCAT.PDF       An Adobe Acrobat tutorial that shows how to upgrade existing       printed catalogs into interactive online net marketing tools. Has       been newly revised to include Acrobat 3.0 capabilities.

Click here for more Acrobat details.
Click here for water soluble swimsuit info.

Blatant Opportunist #40  SPOTCOLR.PDF       Insider secrets to making B/W print more colorful include       papers, preprints, toners, diecuts, color toners, Kroy Color,       Bakerizing, hiliters, and a sneaky new PostScript Colorizer.

Click here for Web Related Books access.
Click here for Basic Web Tools access.

Blatant Opportunist #39  PUBALTS.PDF         The five main options for self publishing these days include          ink, toner, electrons, video, and CD ROM. The strengths and          limitations of each alternate are explored in depth.

Click for Custom Research solutions.
Click here for HTML Books info.

Blatant Opportunist #44  EMERGOP5.PDF        New ways to make a buck on upcoming technology. The baby PIC.       Bodaciously better BOD bindings. Linearized phase controls. Three       phase magic sinewaves. New directions for PostScript.

Click here for a partial Bookbinding solution.
Click here to sponsor an Ad Banner.

Blatant Opportunist #15  TONERTRX.PDF       Supplier & idea directory for terrific toner techniques. What is toner?       Photorealism. Specialty toners. Transfers. Hot stamp foils. Improving       durability. Real thermography. Wzter transfer decals. Printed circuits

Click here for Basic Web Tools access.
Click here for Web Related Books access.

Tech Musings #113  MUSE113.PDF  (June 1997 )        A superb new color printer. Pager motors and vibrators. An        online patent repository. Two more patent horror stories        PostScript as language. Finding rms voltages and currents..

Click to reach the Guru's Lair library.
Click for the Worst of Marcia Swampfelder.

Acrobat Security Flaws  INSECURE.HTML          A brief Don Lancaster tutorial on Acrobat security flaws in Acrobat         2.1 Secure mode is hypersensitive to non-transparent data channels.

Click here to visit the GuruGram library.
Click here for Test Equipment Bargains info

Blatant Opportunist #57  IMAGIMAG.PDF      A scanner makes a ridiculously better digital camera than digital      camera does. Here's Don's insider secrets on propping, scanning,      enhancement, and conversion of digital images.

Click here for Blatant Opportunist columns.
Click for ASP, IIS, Web, & JavaScript book info.

Blatant Opportunist #58  STEZINE.PDF       Some thoughts on ezines. Benefits to advertiser, reader, author, and      publisher. Dynabooks and the straw man. Subpixel tricks. "wag the      dog" survival strategies. Getting paid. For more assistance.

Click here for the Acrobat library.
Click here for the PostScript library.

Blatant Opportunist #59  WEBIMAGE.PDF       Don looks at web imaging secrets. New "scanner" method. Image      data formats. Bitmaps, GIF, JPEG, Acrobat. Getting your image on the      web. Some eBay specifics. Image prep secrets. Editing methods..

Click to reach our Tech Musings library.    

Blatant Opportunist #62  BOUNCY.PDF      A tutorial on Bouncy Bricks and related web page insider secrets.     Meta tags. Safe colors. On-site searches. .ASP files. Includes. Banner     rotations. JavaScript. Bouncy buttons & bricks. Fast nav. more...

Click here for additional Webmastering info.
Click for Custom Research solutions.

Resource Bin #56  RESBN56.PDF (September 1996 )       How to start your own web page. The Internic registration. Why       HTML must be avoided. Template & layout sources. Speedup secrets.       Importance of Acrobat. Promoting your site. Showing a profit.

Click here for HTML Books info.
Click here for Home Page Books info. 
Click here for Webmaster Books info.

Resource Bin #55  RESBN55.PDF ( August 1996 )       How to explore the web for the first time. How to get       Netscape Gold and Acrobat Amber. Getting email. Surfing       and hypersurfing. Gateways. Searching for useful sites.

Click here for our auction bargains.
Click here for our auction tutorials.

Resource Bin #53  RESBN53.PDF ( June 1996 )       Exploring fundamental information distribution tools. With       strong tutorial emphasis on Adobe Acrobat, PostScript, Acrobat       precedents and multiple master typefaces.

Click for Custom InfoPack solutions.
Click to reach our Consultant's Network .

Resource Bin Archive I (1-24)       Early columns includes getting started, ic's printed cirucits,       newslatters, surplus, automotive electronics, trade journals,       PostScript, desktop pub, patents, prototypes, ham radio, more...

Click here for additional Resource Bin columns.
Click here to sponsor an Ad Banner.

Blatant Opportunist #67  STEPPREP.PDF       Secrets of Step-by-step Image Prep. Postprocessing. Scanner vs      camera. knockout knockouts. Pixel locking. Adding detail. Improving       lettering. The small stuff. For more help.

Click here for a companion bitmap.
Click here for STEPPREP.PSL sourcecode

Duplex Auto-addressing Catalog BODCAT.HTML       Tutorial and PostScript sourcecode for a duplex, 16 page, auto-       addressing, auto-collating, auto-tumbling, dual paper stock       saddle stitched BOD brochure or catalog printing.

Click here for PostScript Sourcecode
Click here for Blank Catalog Demo 

Acrobat "Galley Slave" GALLERY.PDF       Sourcecode and insider secrets for PDF thumbnail gallery      generation. The many advantages over HTML include data base      sourcing, single file delivery and fast images.

Click here for additional PostScript help.
Click here for more Acrobat PDF assistance.

Auto-Tracking PDF web links AUTOURL.PDF       Sourcecode and insider secrets for automatically repositioning      Acrobat url links. These can be data base entered and are totally      source document controlled. They move correctly upon editing.

Click here for additional PostScript help.
Click here for email contact or feedback.

Upgrade B/W files with COLORIZE.PSL      Some sneaky redefinitions of color space mapping let you print       originally black and white PostScript files as gray, yet show them       on screen and on line in color tints. Tutorial & prepending utility.

Click here for a Colorizer Sampler demo
Click here for an Energy Efficiency breakthrough.

Improved colorizer utility COLORIZ2.PSL      Revised PostScript utility to simply upgrade existing gray tone        documents so they print in continuous selectable color tints on        line and on screen, yet appear as original grays on a B/W printer..

Click here for an improved Colorizer demo
Click here for Blatant Opportunist columns.

Service Bureaus will BOD print your projects for you,
And often do so at costs and turnaround times significantly
less than traditional print shops...

www.iuniverse.com  www.lightningprint.com  www.volumeone.net   http://www.wisc.edu/printing www.xlibris.com

Click here for another BOD Service Bureau link farm..

Hand bookbinding supplies at  Gigabooks        A hand binding can be both professional, reasonably fast, and cheap.       Here's a rather good source of instructions and materials.

Click here for "Hand Bookbinding Books info.

Adobe System's Adobe.com      "Horse's mouth" PDF home includes free Acrobat and eBook        readers software, product details, developer's info, much more.

Click for free PostScript & Acrobat technical docs.

Independent Acrobat Resource PDF Zone     Lots of PDF support products. Commercial, shareware, news,      links, consulting, more.  ( Became eWeek )

Independent Acrobat Resource Planet PDF      Includes Acrobat news, weblogs, forums, PDF tools, commercial        products, developer assistance, and commercial products.

Click to reach Planet PDF's ePublish Store.

Don Lancaster's PostScript-as-Language Library       Unique set of tutorials, tools, books, links, and other help for       understanding both beginning and advanced PostScript concepts.

Click for Custom Research solutions.

Lower your toner costs through Recharger Magazine       Toner cartridge reloading and inkjet refilling can dramatically       slash your BOD costs. This is the leading trade journal.

Click here to view our eBay live auctions.
Click for Laser Printer insider secrets

Book-on-Demand Consulting From Dan Poynter      Been there, done that source of free and for-hire BOD training,       resources, links, books, production services, much more.

Click here for Acrobat PDF assistance.

Sanely Priced Quality Papers From Paper Plus      National chain has dozens of stores plus an online store.      Specialty and regular papers, materials, and supplies.

Also check their Paper Direct competitor.

National Printer Shopper from Print Mart     Extensive ads for printshop products and services. in a     newsprint shopper format. Free to qualified subscribers.

Also check their The Mart (Telecomm) ,
Comnpu-Mart , EquipMart , and other pubs.

National Printer Shopper from Printer's Hot Line      National classified and print ad trader is now a part of all those      newsstand car and truck and boat trader magazines.

Also check their Telecomm Gear , and
Computer Hotline related pubs.

Great BOD magazine at BookTech       Also does conferences and expositions on book production       technology and techniques for the digital age.

Click here for web research access tools.

Bizarre typography ezine U&lc      Short for Upper and Lower Case, and published by ITC International      Typeface. Bunches of neat stuff -- fonts, typography, history, art.

Click to reach the Antialiased Fonts library.

Regional Shoppers from Printrade      Published Calfornia Printers, HorseTrader, and Pacific Printers      classified shoppers. Half classifieds, half ads.

Click here to view our eBay live auctions.

Hotstamping & Cover Techniques from Inside Finishing      Trade journal covers hot stamping, exotic papers, binding, laminating,      etc... By the FSEA Foil Stamping & Embossing Association

Click to reach the Resource Bin library.
Click here for their Instant Printer trade journal..

Unusual Forms from Blanks USA      Makes stuff like tri- and quad-folds, response mailers, tickets,      door hangers, table tents, tearoffs, business cards and such.

Click here for their Metropaper competitor.

T-Shirt and fabric opportunities from PrintWear      Trade journal "for the business of decorated apparel". A mix of      articles on screen printing and embroidery.

Click here for their Impressions competitor.

Useful bookbinding links at Binding Industries       Industry association of local commercial bookbinding services       seems expensive and old line. But should eventually adapt.

Click here for Instant Consulting solutions

Triumph Paper Cutters and more at MBM       Very expensive but highly mainstraeam source of traditional       high quality book finishing products.

Click to reach the Resource Bin library.

BindFast & Other Binders at Standard       The Standard Bindfast 5 is probably the best mid-range       bindind system available. Outrageously expensive, though.

Click here to sponsor an Ad Banner.

Acrobat PDF:

Acrobat Reference Manual (the PEWTER book) Acrobat 5 PDF Bible ( Ted Padova ) Adobe Acrobat 5 PDF for Dummies ( Greg Harvey ) Adobe Acrobat 5: The Professional User's Guide ( DonnaBaker ) Double Trouble (PDF and Palm Pilot formats) ( Betty Sullivan ) From Paper to Web: Making Information... (Tony McKinley) Internet Publishing with Acrobat (Gordon Kent) PDF Bible: The Complete Guide... (Mark Witkowski) PDF Printing and Workflow ( Frank Romano ) PDF with Acrobat 5: Visual QuickStart Guide ( Jennifer Alspach ) PDF Printing & Publishing (Mattias Andersson) PostScript & Acrobat PDF Applications... (Thomas Mertz) PostScript & Acrobat PDF Bible (Thomas Mertz) Real World PDF with Adobe Acrobat 5 ( Anita Dennis ) Teach Yourself Visually Adobe Acrobat 5 Pdf ( Ted Padova ) Web Publishing With Acrobat PDF (Thomas Mertz) Web Publishing With Adobe Acrobat (Bruce Page) PostScript by Example (the MAROON book) PostScript Reference Manual (the RED book) PostScript Tutorial & Cookbook (the BLUE book)

Book Binding:

The Art of the Handmade Book  (Flora Fennimore) Basic Bookbinding (Arthur Lewis) Binding and Finishing  (Ralph Lyman) Binding and Finishing Publisher's Guide (Geoff Potter) Binding and Repairing Books By Hand  (David Muir) Book Binding Made Easy  (Karen Moore) Bookbinding: Its Background and Technique (Edith Diehl) Bookbinding; A Manual of Techniques  (Pamela Richmond) Bookbinding With Adhesives  (Tony Clark) Bookworks: Making Books by Hand  (Gwenyth Swain) The Craft of Bookbinding  (Manly Banister) Creative Bookbinding  (Pauline Johnson) Cover to Cover: Creative Techniques for Making...  (Laplantz) Glue-Binding Your Books (David Wilson) Non-Adhesive Binding: Books Without Glue  (Keith Smith) Hand Bookbinding: A Manual of Instruction (Aldren Watson) Hand-Made Books: An Intro to Bookbinding (Rob Shepard) Handmade Books: A Step-by-Step Guide  (Kathy Blake) Making Books By Hand (Mary McCarthy) How to Make A Book: An Illustrated Guide  (John Barrett) The Making of the Book (Alfred Cox)

BOD Book-on-Demand Publishing:

1001 Ways to Market Your Books  ( John Kremer ) A Quick Guide to Book-On-Demand Printing  ( Roger Allen ) Digital Printing : Mastering ON-Demand Printing   ( Frank Romano ) Exploring IBM Print on Demand Technology  ( Jim Wallace ) Multifunctional & Low-Volume Laser Printer Guide   ( Better Buys ) On-Demand and Digital Printing Primer  ( Howard. Fenton ) On-Demand Printing: The Technology Emerges  ( Irving Field ) On-Demand Publishing: Unleashing the Dream  ( Kenzi Sugihara ) Secrets of Print-On-Demand  ( Don Dehart ) Self-Publishing Manual  ( Dan Poynter ) Very Last Designers Guide to On-Demand, Printing  ( David Clark )

PostScript:

Postscript Beginner Projects  (Don & Bee Lancaster) Postscript and Acrobat/Pdf Bible  (Thomas Merz) PostScript by Example  ( Henry McGilton) PostScript Reference Manual  ( Adobe Systems ) PostScript Tutorial & Cookbook   ( Adobe Systems )

Watermarking:

Codebreakers; History of Secret Communication ( David Kahn ) Codes, Ciphers and Other Cryptic Communication ( Fred Wrixon ) Digital Watermarking  ( Ingemar Cox ) Disappearing Cryptography: Nothingness on the Net ( Peter Wayner ) Image and Video Databases: Watermarking & Retrieval  ( A. Hanjalic ) Information Hiding: 1st International Workshop, ( R. Anderson ) Information Hiding: 2nd International Workshop ( David Auesmith ) Information Hiding: Steganography and Watermarking  ( Neil. Johnson ) Security and Watermarking of Multimedia Contents ( Ping Wah Wong ) Techniques for Steganography & Watermarking  ( S. Katzenbeisser )

Webmastering:

Increasing Hits and Selling More on Your Web Site   ( Greg Helmstetter ) Webmaster   ( Tivola Publishing ) Webmaster Answers!   ( Christopher Ditto ) Webmastering For Dummies   ( Daniel A. Tauber ) Webmaster in a Nutshell  ( Stephen Spainhour ) Webmaster's Guide to the Wireless Internet   ( Shelley Powers ) Webmaster's Guru Pack   ( Joe McCormack )

Subscription details will vary with your choice of news server...
Possibilities appear here and here.

alt.publish.books comp.lang.postscript comp.laser-printers comp.periphs.printers comp.publish.electronic.developer comp.publish.electronic.misc comp.publish.prepress comp.text.pdf misc.industry.printing

    Other Guru's Lair library pages of interest include Acrobat,  
    PostScript, Blatant Opportunist, Fonts, GuruGrams, Ask the
    Guru, Webmastering, and the Blatant Opportunist.

    Other archives include Don's PostScript Secrets, the PostScript
    Show and Tell, and assorted Early Reprints.

Ask Don any BOD or eBook question.   Go to the Blatant Opportunist library.  Explore an Energy Efficiency opportunity.  Find Instant Research Answers.