What’s New at the Q?!?
Hello everybody in the wonderful world of commercial art and embroidery…
Before I get in to the meat of today’s topic I would like to make a request. If any of you would like me to speak to a direct topic will you please drop me a line at steve.freeman@qdigitizing.com and let me know what you think would make a good topic. If it is in my area of expertise I will do my best to write a compelling article.
In anticipation of our launch for our Smart Phone APP next month I thought I would take a whimsical look back to the late 1980’s when I first learned to be a digitizer. Oh my gosh, how things have changed!
1. Anyone out there remember paper tapes? Or for you real old timers, punch cards and mechanical machines!
2. Who here remembers when10 days was considered a rush order?
3. When I had my first design programmed in 1988 I paid $30 per 1,000 stitches. The average price for a design was $210. Adjusted for inflation that is the same as $407 dollars today. Pardon me for using pop culture vernacular but OMG! I shudder to do the math.
4. In 1989 my first digitizing system cost about $32,000. Today I can buy an excellent system for around $5,500 even though the truly professional software is north of $10k south of $15k.
5. My first embroidery machines did not have trimmers and if you think hats are tough now…You have no idea!
6. I remember when 650 stitches a minute was FAST!
7. When I learned to digitize my system was hooked up directly to a an embroidery machine. If I made a mistake, I started over. This was a great way to learn…but made for some very long nights.
8. In 1993 I was one of the first companies to start transferring embroidery files over what would become the internet we all know and love today. We had a Wildcat Bulletin Board and we thought we were “ALL THAT.” Then we got crushed by AOL and spent the next 10 years playing catch up.
9. Floppy discs? I know some of you still use ‘em but you better find a good source because they will be going away and replaced by far more efficient means of data transfer.
10. Zip Drives…there was a product with a short shelf life. It is a good thing Iomega was a nimble company and able to adapt quickly.
11. I can’t think of a more welcome revolution than a move from 10,000 pound CRT monitors to far superior flat panel displays.
12. Smart phones and APPs – ‘nuff said!
13. Magic Jack – Skype – Fonality. Thank goodness for VoIP!!!
14. I could list a hundred more technological revolutions but my favorite one, by far is my MiFi. I love being able to get 4G internet anywhere I go.
With all of that said Qdigitizing is kicking it up another notch. In May we are launching the Qdigitizing APP for Android, iPhone, iPad and Blackberry.
This App will enable you to place orders, check status and retrieve archived files all from the convenience of your smart phone, wherever you are. For now this will only be available for digitizing but phase two will add the same functions for the art side of our house. We want to work the kinks out and get feedback from all of you before we go too nuts.
As always – please reach out to me here with any questions, comments or requests for content.
Thank you,
Steve Freeman
Steve, OMG! Very interesting! You took me back aways. I started this business 25 years ago so I can identify with all you said. Remember when having camera ready art was crucial and we had to have PMT to work from. No one even knows what a PMT is today.
Thanks for the memory lane trip.
Miokey
I know a lot of people still use them but I remember when a FAX MACHINE was one of the most importnat pieces of office equipment. I don’t even have one anymore. I get less that one request a month for fax even with all the art we do!