Time flies, it truly does, and it's more than a little incredible that the original plan for Output, sketched out in a pasta restaurant next to Oxford Circus, has now grown to become a valuable and powerful resource in the online magazine world. There is little doubt that, while there is a place for printed journals which demand the right to be retained for future reference, the sheer convenience of being able to read, digest and comment on up-to-date news and information is gaining in value and this is a classic example of how well a dedicated space can work.

What's interesting about Output is that I speak to people who, hitherto, hadn't shown vast amounts of interest in sign-making or digital production of small and large output. It was quite difficult to know where to find specific information about the whys and wherefores of digitally generated end products, nor how to go about sourcing them. These pages have satisfied this demand and extended far beyond the reach of traditional readership.

Reading and digesting information helps to lift the lid on new ideas

From the point of view of manufacturers and suppliers wanting to get their news out, there is nothing better than a properly structured platform on which to read about it. From a blogging perspective, I know that Laurel Brunner and I both enjoy the immediacy of being able to put our views across and know that they'll be read within minutes.

But there is a place for a printed publication, and Specialist Printing Worldwide falls into the useful category where it concentrates on the more technical perspective of today's use of print and its associated technologies. I count myself fortunate that I'm involved with both titles which serve to complement one another and, as such, have formed a partnership which will lead to specialist and industrial printing applications being featured on Output.

One thing which has been obvious this year is the way in which digital production has extended into niche markets for production. Signs and displays play a major role in the use of today's equipment but they're not the be all and end all of what can be done with available technologies. Manufacturers of equipment and materials are acknowledging the fact that end users are looking for new areas where they can be profitable; a bit of ingenuity and experimentation can throw up some interesting applications which, hitherto, hadn't really been considered.

We rely a lot on the written word to garner what's going on in this industry and in parallel areas. Some of us want bite-sized chunks of information and others want to delve into greater depth when it comes to technology. The partnership with Specialist Printing Worldwide and Output gives everyone the best of both worlds.