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Lithographic printing plates are imaged using an inkjet printer to imagewise apply a chemical or masking agent onto the plate surface. In some embodiments, the chemical inhibits a photoreaction in the top layer.
1. A system for lithographic printing comprising:
(a) a printing member comprising a soluble hydrophilic first layer that itself comprises a photoreactive reagent, and a second oleophilic layer thereunder, and
(b) an imaging fluid comprising a photoreaction-inhibiting agent comprising a nitroso dimer inhibiting system.
2. A method of imaging a lithographic printing member, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a printing member comprising a soluble top layer having a first lithographic affinity and comprising a photoreactive reagent and a layer thereunder having a second lithographic affinity opposite to the first lithographic affinity, wherein in response to an imaging fluid, the reactivity of the photoreactive reagent is reduced;
(b) dispensing the imaging fluid in an imagewise pattern, the imaging fluid chemically reacting with the top layer and inhibiting the reactivity of the photoreactive reagent therein;
(c) thereafter exposing the printing member to an energy source to initiate a photoreaction in areas where the imaging fluid has not been dispensed, the photoreaction transforming said areas from a water-soluble state to a water-insoluble state;
(d) removing unreacted portions of the top layer, thereby creating an imagewise lithographic pattern on the printing member.
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This application claims priority to and the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/617,695, filed on Oct. 12, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates in general to lithography, and more particularly to lithographic printing members suitable for inkjet imaging.
In offset lithography, a printable image is present on a printing member as a pattern of ink-accepting (oleophilic) and ink-rejecting (oleophobic) surface areas. Once applied to these areas, ink can be efficiently transferred to a recording medium in the imagewise pattern with substantial fidelity. Dry printing systems utilize printing members whose ink-repellent portions are sufficiently phobic to ink as to permit its direct application. In a wet lithographic system, the non-image areas are hydrophilic, and the necessary ink-repellency is provided by an initial application of a dampening fluid to the plate prior to inking. The dampening fluid prevents ink from adhering to the non-image areas, but does not affect the oleophilic character of the image areas. Ink applied uniformly to the printing member is transferred to the recording medium only in the imagewise pattern. Typically, the printing member first makes contact with a compliant intermediate surface called a blanket cylinder which, in turn, applies the image to the paper or other recording medium. In typical sheet-fed press systems, the recording medium is pinned to an impression cylinder, which brings it into contact with the blanket cylinder.
Lithographic plates can be fabricated in various ways, ranging from traditional manual techniques involving photoexposure and chemical development to automated procedures involving computer control. Computer-to-plate systems can utilize pulses of electromagnetic radiation, produced by one or more laser or non-laser sources, to create physical or chemical changes at selected points of sensitized plate blanks (which, depending on the system, may be used immediately or following conventional photodevelopment); ink-jet equipment used to selectively deposit ink-repellent or ink-accepting spots on plate blanks; or spark-discharge equipment, in which an electrode in contact with or spaced close to a plate blank produces electrical sparks to alter the characteristics of certain areas on a printing surface, thereby creating �dots� which collectively form a desired image. To circumvent the cumbersome photographic development, plate-mounting, and plate-registration operations that typify traditional printing technologies, practitioners have developed electronic alternatives that store the imagewise pattern in digital form and impress the pattern directly onto the plate.
Digital imaging of printing plates by inkjet printing is currently widely investigated; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,526,886 and 6,691,618. The '618 patent, for example, discloses a method of imaging a lithographic printing plate having an alkaline-soluble polymeric coating with a pH-elevating agent. The need to use alkaline solutions to develop these plates, however, poses environmental and safety problems. It would be desirable to have inkjet-imageable lithographic printing plates that can be solely developed by water, or which do not require a development step.
The present invention relates to lithographic printing members imageable using a combination of inkjet and photopolymerization. An advantage to this approach is the durability of photopolymer plates and the ability to utilize conventional ultraviolet (UV) imaging sources.
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a lithographic printing member having a photosensitive top layer, an optional crosslinked intermediate layer, and a substrate thereunder, as well as methods of imaging such a printing member. The top layer contains a photo-polymerizable moiety and the first component of a two-component photo-polymerization initiating system. When reacted with an imaging fluid containing the second component of the two-component photo-polymerization initiating system and thereupon subjected to actinic radiation, the top layer undergoes photopolymerization and becomes crosslinked. In some embodiments, the top layer is oleophilic and the substrate (or intermediate layer) is hydrophilic, whereas in other embodiments, the top layer is hydrophilic and the substrate (or intermediate layer) is oleophilic.
To provide a lithographic image, the imaging fluid is dispensed onto the top layer of the printing member in an imagewise pattern. The imaged plate is then exposed to actinic radiation, allowing the imaging fluid to react with the photosensitive top layer and form a crosslinked imaged area. The imaged printing member is then subjected to a solvent, such as an aqueous fluid, to remove non-image (i.e., uncrosslinked), portions of the top layer, leaving an imagewise lithographic pattern on the printing member ready for inking.
Suitable photo-polymerizable moieties for forming the top layer include, but are not limited to, multifunctional acrylic monomers, oligomers, macromers, and combinations thereof. A suitable two-component photo-polymerization initiating system that can be used to prepare the top layer and the imaging fluid is a hexaarylbiimidazole dimer with a free-radical-producing electron donor agent as a co-catalyst. Although none of these compounds dissolves in water, it is believed that because the functional moieties only weakly adhere to the hydrophilic intermediate layer underneath, water may be applied to the top layer to disrupt the weak adhesion between the top and underlying layers, thereby allowing the removal of the non-image portions of the top layer. On the other hand, adhesion between the imaged areas, i.e., where photopolymerization and crosslinking have occurred, and the underlying layer is sufficiently strong that the imaged portions cannot be removed by water in the development step.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a printing member having a soluble top layer, an optional intermediate layer, and a substrate thereunder, as well as methods of imaging such a printing member. The top layer, which contains a photoreactive reagent, becomes crosslinked and water-insoluble when exposed to actinic radiation. An imaging fluid that contains at least one of a photoreaction-inhibiting agent and a masking agent may be applied to the top layer, reducing or totally inhibiting the reactivity of the photoreactive reagent and thereby preventing the imaged areas from undergoing crosslinking. In some embodiments, the top layer is oleophilic and the substrate (or intermediate layer) is hydrophilic, whereas in other embodiments, the top layer is hydrophilic and the substrate (or intermediate layer) is oleophilic.
To provide a lithographic image, the imaging fluid is dispensed onto the top layer of the printing member in an imagewise pattern. The imaged plate is then exposed to actinic radiation, which induces crosslinking in the non-image areas, causing these areas to become water-insoluble. On the other hand, because the jetted fluid has masked the imaged portions from light and/or reacted within the imaged portions of the top layer to reduce its photoreactivity, crosslinking does not occur in the imaged areas and a water-soluble image is formed in the top layer. The imaged printing member is then subjected to a solvent, such as an aqueous fluid, to remove the imaged portions, leaving an imagewise lithographic pattern on the printing member ready for inking.
The photoreactive reagent found in the top layer can be a photo-crosslinking agent or a photo-polymerization initiator. Suitable photo-crosslinking agents include various bis-azides. Water-soluble polymers that can be crosslinked by bis-azides include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylamide-diacetone acrylamide copolymer, polyacrylamide, copolymers of acrylamide, gelatin, and mixtures thereof.
An alternative photo-crosslinking agent is a condensation product of an aromatic diazonium salt and a condensation agent. Suitable aromatic diazonium salts include, but are not limited to, 4-diazodiphenylamine sulfate, 3-methoxy-4-diazodiphenylamine sulfate, 4-phenoxydiazobenzene zinc chloride double salt, and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-tolylmercaptodiazobenzene zinc chloride double salt. Water-soluble polymers that can be crosslinked by an aromatic diazonium salt-containing compound include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydropropylpropylcellulose, polyacrylic or methacrylic acid, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide, gelatin, and mixtures thereof.
Suitable photo-polymerization initiators include those that are water-soluble. Examples include, but are not limited to, ceric ammonium oxalate, manganic ammonium oxalate, and photoreducible dyes and their co-catalysts. Another useful photoreactive reagent is a polyvinyl alcohol comprising a stilbazolium moiety.
The imaging fluid may contain a photoreaction-inhibiting agent such as an antioxidant. Suitable antioxidants include, but are not limited to, hydroquinone, 4-methoxyphenol, 2,6-di-(t-butyl)-4-methylphenol, 2,2′-methylenebis-(4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol), diesters of thiodipropionic acid, and triarylphosphite. Alternatively, the imaging fluid may contain a masking agent that shields the imaged area from exposure to actinic radiation. Suitable masking agents include various dyes and pigments that absorb at wavelengths of photosensitivity of the photosensitive top layer. Examples include, but are not limited to, Acid Yellow 25 (C.I. 18835), Acid Yellow 29 (C.I. 18900), Acridine Yellow G (C.I. 46025), Basic Yellow 2 (C.I. 41000), Acid Black 2 (C.I. 50420), and aqueous dispersions of carbon black and yellow pigments. An imaging fluid that contains both a masking agent and a photoreaction-inhibiting agent may also be used according to the invention.
It should be stressed that, as used herein, the term �plate� or �member� refers to any type of printing member or surface capable of recording an image defined by regions exhibiting differential affinities for ink and/or fountain solution. Suitable configurations include the traditional planar or curved lithographic plates that are mounted on the plate cylinder of a printing press, but can also include seamless cylinders (e.g., the roll surface of a plate cylinder), an endless belt, or other arrangement.
Furthermore, the term �hydrophilic� is used in the printing sense to connote a surface affinity for a fluid which prevents ink from adhering thereto. Such fluids include water for conventional ink systems, aqueous and non-aqueous dampening liquids, and the non-ink phase of single-fluid ink systems. Thus a hydrophilic surface in accordance herewith exhibits preferential affinity for any of these materials relative to oil-based materials.
The term �fountain solution,� as used herein, pertains to a solution used to clean or remove the water-soluble portions of the imaged printing members of the methods of this invention and may be water, combinations of at least 90% water and 10% or less organic solvents and additives such as alcohols, surfactants, and glycols, and buffered or salt-containing neutral or nearly neutral water solutions. The term �fountain solution,� as used herein, does not include alkaline aqueous solutions with a pH of greater than about 10, acidic aqueous solutions with a pH of less than about 3.5, or organic solvents without at least 90% by weight of water present.
Also, as used herein, the term �water-soluble� refers to a material that can form a greater than 1% solution in water or a mixture of a water-miscible solvent such as alcohol and water wherein the mixture is more than 50% water.
As one of skill in the art will appreciate, features of one embodiment and aspect of the invention are applicable to other embodiments and aspects of the invention. The above-discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.
The foregoing discussion will be understood more readily from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The drawings and elements thereof may not be drawn to scale.
1. Imaging Apparatus
An imaging apparatus suitable for use in conjunction with the present printing members includes at least an inkjet printer. To facilitate accurate imaging of the printing members according to the invention, the paper-handling or substrate-handling subsystem of the inkjet printer should have a short, straight paper path. A printing plate is generally stiffer and heavier than the paper or media typically used in commercially available inkjet printers. If the construction of the printer requires the printing plate to be bent before or after it is presented to the imaging print head, then the movement of the printing plate through the printer may not be as accurate as the media for which the printer was designed. Printers such as the EPSON STYLUS COLOR 3000 (available from Epson America, Inc., Long Beach, Calif.) have a suitably short, straight paper path. A platen is preferably placed at the entrance to the paper feed mechanism. The platen may have a registration guide rail to support the plate as it is pulled into the printer by the feed mechanism, facilitating the accurate transport of the plate under the imaging print head.
The imaging apparatus may further include a developing processor for embodiments where off-press development of the imaged plate is envisioned. U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,618, for example, describes a suitable developing processor. The development process may involve conveying the imaged plate through a series of stations, which may include a hot air dryer, a pre-heat oven, a development station, a rinse station, and a post-bake oven. The plate is ready to be used on press after this off-press developing step.
In other embodiments, the imaged plate can be developed on-press. In these embodiments, after imaging of the printing member, no conventional development of the latent image is required. Instead, the plate is first heated in an oven to dry the image and, typically, to complete the reaction with the imaging fluid. Second, the plate is mounted on the plate cylinder of a conventional offset lithographic press. Third, the latent image is developed by operating the press such that the plate cylinder is rotated and the working fluids of the press, i.e., the press ink and fountain solution, are applied to the plate. The plate is then ready to be used to print images on paper or other media by the normal operation of the press.
2. Inkjet Printing Process
Inkjet printing involves projecting tiny drops of ink fluid directly onto the plate surface without physical contact between the inkjet printer and the plate. The inkjet printer stores electrical data corresponding to the image to be printed (specifically, the image or background area, depending on whether the plate is positive-working or negative-working), and controls a mechanism for ejecting ink droplets imagewise onto the plate. Printing is performed by moving the print head across the plate or vice versa.
There are generally two mechanisms that commercially available inkjet printers utilize to control how ink droplets are jetted. In continuous inkjet printing, the print head propels a continuous stream of ink through a nozzle. This stream is broken down into identical droplets, which are then selectively charged. Depending on the construction of the printer, either the charged or the uncharged droplets are deflected and guided towards the receiving medium. The undeflected droplets are collected and recycled. Continuous inkjet printers require complex hardware, but they offer high speed printing as an advantage.
In drop-on-demand inkjet printers, ink droplets are generated and ejected through the orifices of the print head only as needed. Some drop-on-demand systems use a thermal process to create the pressure required to eject ink droplets. These thermal jet (or bubble jet) printers use heat to generate vapor bubbles in a volatile component of the ink fluid. As these bubbles build up pressure and vaporize, ink droplets are jetted out of the print head one at a time. Other drop-on-demand systems utilize a piezoelectric actuator to eject ink droplets. In these printers, a computer signal imposes an electrical potential across a piezoelectric material which causes it to deform. Ink droplets are ejected as the piezoelectric material deforms and returns to its normal dimensions. Although drop-on-demand inkjet printers have relatively slow printing speed, they offer small drop size and highly controlled ink droplet placement.
The imaging step according to the invention can be performed by any suitable inkjet printers and techniques described above. Commercially available drop-on-demand models are preferred, however, because of their durability and high resolution.
3. Lithographic Printing Members
A representative printing member according to the invention includes a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and a top layer.
Each of these layers and their functions will be described in detail below.
3.1 Substrate 102, 202
The substrate provides dimensionally stable mechanical support to the printing member. The substrate should be strong, stable and, preferably, thin and flexible. One or more surfaces of the substrate can be either hydrophilic or oleophilic. Suitable substrate materials include, but are not limited to, metals, polymers, and paper.
Metals suitable for use in substrates according to the invention include, but are not limited to, aluminum, zinc, steel, chromium, and alloys thereof, which may have another metal (e.g., copper) plated over one surface. Metal substrates can have thicknesses ranging from about 50 μm to about 500 μm or more, with thicknesses in the range of about 100 μm to about 300 μm being preferred.
One or more surfaces of a metal substrate may be anodized. Anodizing increases the hardness and abrasion resistance of the metal surface, which improves the mechanical strength of the substrate. The anodic layer can also control dissipation of heat into the substrate, thus increasing the imaging efficiency of the printing member. An anodized aluminum substrate consists of an unmodified base layer and a porous, anodic aluminum oxide coating thereover. The anodized aluminum surface is hydrophilic; however, without further treatment, the oxide coating would lose wettability due to further chemical reaction. Anodized substrates are, therefore, typically exposed to a silicate solution or other suitable reagent (e.g., a phosphate reagent) that stabilizes the hydrophilic character of the plate surface. In the case of silicate treatment, the surface may assume the properties of a molecular sieve with a high affinity for molecules of a definite size and shape�including, most importantly, water molecules.
A preferred substrate is an anodized aluminum plate with a low degree of graining and an anodic layer having a thickness between about 0.5 μm and about 3 μm (available, for example, from Precision Lithograining Corp., South Hadley, Mass.). Graining can be achieved by methods known in the art such as by means of a wire brush, a slurry of particulates or by chemical or electrolytic means.
Polymers suitable for use in substrates according to the invention include, but are not limited to, polyesters (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate), polycarbonates, polyurethane, acrylic polymers, polyamide polymers, phenolic polymers, polysulfones, polystyrene, and cellulose acetate. A preferred polymeric substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate film such as MYLAR and MELINEX (available from E.I. duPont de Nemours Co., Wilmington, Del.).
Polymeric substrates can be coated with a transition layer to improve the mechanical strength and durability of the substrate and/or to alter the hydrophilicity or oleophilicity of the surface of the substrate. A hydrophilic transition layer may include porous materials with oxygen functional groups at the surface. The addition of hydrophilic fillers such as, for example, silica particles, also enhances the hydrophilicity of the transition layer. Examples of suitable materials for hydrophilic transition layers according to the invention include proprietary hard coat materials supplied by Bekaert Specialty Films, LLC (San Diego, Calif.). Other suitable formulations and application techniques for transition layers are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,737, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Polymeric substrates can have thicknesses ranging from about 50 μm to about 500 μm or more, depending on the specific printing member application. For printing members in the form of rolls, thicknesses of about 200 μm are preferred. For printing members that include transition layers, polymer substrates having thicknesses of about 50 μm to about 100 μm are preferred.
A wide variety of papers may be utilized as a substrate. Typically, papers are saturated with a polymeric treatment to improve dimensional stability, water resistance, and strength during wet lithographic printing.
In embodiments of the invention that do not include an intermediate layer between the top layer and the substrate, the substrate and the top layer (subsequent to reaction with the imaging fluid) generally have opposite affinities for ink and/or a liquid to which ink will not adhere. In embodiments that do contain an intermediate layer, on the other hand, the substrate and the top layer (subsequent to reaction with the imaging fluid) need not have opposite lithographic affinities. Instead, the intermediate layer is designed to have a lithographic affinity opposite to that of the reacted top layer, as described below. However, it is generally preferable to provide a substrate and an intermediate layer of like affinities to promote adhesion and to accommodate damage to the intermediate layer without loss of performance. Specifically, even though the intermediate layer is typically not soluble in aqueous solutions and is not removed during the imaging process, it can still be scratched or damaged during the printmaking process. A substrate of like affinity will accept or reject ink in the same manner as the overlying intermediate layer in those areas where the intermediate layer is damaged, thus maintaining print quality and prolonging the press life of the printing member.
3.2 Intermediate Layer 104, 204
The intermediate layer is coated on the substrate. In embodiments where a polymeric substrate is used, the intermediate layer can be the transition layer described above. The intermediate layer can be either hydrophilic or oleophilic, provided that it has an affinity opposite to that of the top layer after the top layer has reacted with the imaging fluid for at least one of ink and a liquid to which ink will not adhere. It should generally adhere well to the substrate and to the top layer and should withstand repeated application of fountain solution or ink during printing without substantial degradation or solubilization. The intermediate layer is optional in some embodiments.
Suitable materials for fabricating a hydrophilic intermediate layer include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and cellulosics. Polyvinyl alcohol is preferred. Homopolymers and copolymers with amine, carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, and/or phosphonic acid moieties can also be used. Specific examples include homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl alcohol with amino-functional groups, vinyl phosphonic acid, acrylamide, methylol acrylamide, methylol methacrylamide, acrylate acid, methacrylate acid, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and maleic anhydride/vinylmethylether copolymers. A polyceramic layer containing PVOH-ZrOH (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,182,569, 6,182,570, and 6,186,067) can also be used.
To increase toughness and wear resistance, the hydrophilic polymer coating is preferably crosslinked. Crosslinking agents such as formaldehyde, glyoxal, polyisocynate, melamine-type crosslinkers, ammonium zirconyl carbonate, titanate crosslinkers, hydrolyzed tetraalkylorthosilicate, and diepoxide crosslinkers can be added to crosslink specific functional groups in the polymer. For example, diepoxide crosslinkers can effectively crosslink amino groups and carboxylic acid groups. Polyvinyl alcohol can be crosslinked by hydrolyzed tetraethoxysilane according to procedures described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,660, by ammonium zirconium carbonate as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,975, and by melamine with a catalyst such as an organic sulfonic acid.
The mechanism of the crosslinking reaction is not critical. For example, either radical-initiated crosslinking or oxidative crosslinking may be used.
In embodiments of the invention that include an oleophilic intermediate layer, the materials used in the oleophilic coating should demonstrate good adhesion to the substrate below it and to the hydrophilic coating that is to be applied on top of it. Their oleophilic properties should be such that, when placed on a press, the imaged areas accept ink immediately. Run lengths in the order of thousands of impressions are preferred. The oleophilic materials should therefore have suitable toughness, wear resistance, and be non-reactive with the ink.
Many homopolymers and copolymers can be used as the oleophilic intermediate layer according to the invention. They include polyurethanes, epoxy resins, polystyrene, copolymers of styrene, acrylics, copolymers of acetate and ethylene, polyacrylics, copolmyers of acrylics, polyvinyl acetate, phenol and cresol formaldehyde resins, cellulose ethers and esters, polyvinyl acetals, diazo resins, and synthetic rubbers. They can be applied from a solvent solution, or can be used in the form of an aqueous resin dispersion and be applied from water. Intermediate layers made from aqueous resin dispersions can be heat-treated to cause the dispersed resin particles to coalesce, which increases their toughness. In addition, commercially available subtractive coatings (e.g., subtractive plate NSSH manufactured by Precision Lithograining, South Hadley, Mass.) with or without blanket light exposure can be used as the oleophilic coating.
Other components that can be included in the intermediate layer are colorants, plasticizers, surfactants, crosslinking agents and monomers including initiators. The latter two are added to increase toughness and can be activated by either heat or light.
3.3 Top Layer 106, 206
The top layer receives the imaging fluid and is photosensitive as described below. Materials utilized in this layer should exhibit good adhesion to the layer below it, i.e., the intermediate layer or the substrate.
Materials forming the top layer can be applied to the intermediate layer (or, in embodiments where the intermediate layer is optional, the substrate) in any suitable manner using conventional coating equipment and procedures. Upon drying, the top layer is generally at least 0.1 μm in thickness and can be as thick as 10 μm. Thus, in negative-working embodiments of the present invention, the top layer should be thick and substantially continuous enough to provide the desired image upon fluid application, but not so thick that the non-image areas are difficult to remove after imaging. Similarly, in positive-working embodiments of the present invention, the top layer should not be so thick that the imaged areas are difficult to remove after imaging.
Apart from the components capable of reacting with the imaging fluid, the top layer may also contain various additives, e.g., nonionic and/or amphoteric surfactants, as appropriate to the application. Specific examples of the nonionic surfactant include sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan trioleate, stearic acid monoglyceride, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, and the like. Specific examples of amphoteric surfactants include alkyldi(aminoethyl)glycine, hydrochloric acid salt of alkylpolyaminoethylglycine, 2-alkyl-N-carboxyethyl-N-hydroxyethylimidazolinum betaine, N-tetradecyl-N,N-betaine, and the like.
Dyes can be added in a small amount to adjust the plate color. Specific examples of these dyes include Oil Yellow No. 101, Oil Yellow No. 103, Oil Pink No. 312, Oil Green BG, Oil Blue BOS, Oil Blue N. 603, Oil Black BY, Oil Black BS, Oil Black T-505 (all marketed by Chemical Industries, Co., Des Moine, Iowa), Victoria Pure Blue, Crystal Violet (C.I. 42555), Methyl Violet (C.I. 42535), Ethyl Violet, Rhodamine B (C.I. 145170B), Malachite Green (C.I. 42000), Methylene Blue (C.I. 52015), and the like.
Further, if necessary, a plasticizer may be added to impart flexibility to the top layer. Examples of suitable plasticizers include butyl phthalyl, polyethylene glycol, tributyl citrate, diethyl phthalate, dibutylphthalate, dihexyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, tricresyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, tetrahydrofurfuryl oleate, an oligomer or a polymer of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, and the like.
Specific embodiments of the top layer are discussed below.
3.4 Inkjet Imaging Fluid 108, 208
The inkjet imaging fluid contains at least one chemical compound in its composition which is either capable of reacting with, or inhibiting a reaction in, the top layer. The chemical compound(s) may be present in the imaging fluid in a concentration as high as 20% or even higher by weight, but preferably less than 5% by weight. It is also preferable, although not necessary, that the chemical compound(s) be in the form of a homogeneous solution or a stable colloidal dispersion, so that it can pass through the nozzles of an inkjet print head.
The main liquid carrier can be water or an organic solvent or combinations thereof. The choice of the liquid carrier depends on the specific inkjet printer. Both aqueous-based and solvent-based fluids can be used in the present invention depending on the inkjet technology that is being used (i.e., piezo, thermal, bubble jet or continuous inkjet).
While water is the preferred medium for aqueous imaging fluids, the aqueous composition may comprise one or more miscible co-solvents, e.g., a polyhydric alcohol. These co-solvents may be high-boiling humidifying solvents such as glycerin, propylene glycol, ethxylated glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and trimethylol propane. The purpose of adding one or more high-boiling humidifying solvents is to prevent the imaging fluid from drying during idle periods which could cause the inkjet nozzles to clog. Other high-boiling solvents can be added to improve the solubility of the chemical compound tailored to react with the top layer. Such solvents may include, but are not limited to, methylpyrrolidone, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monobutyl ether, and propylene glycol ethyl ether acetate. The amount of aqueous carrier medium in the aqueous composition may be in the range from 30 to 99.995% by weight, preferably from 50 to 95% by weight.
Organic solvents that may be used as a carrier medium for the inkjet imaging fluid include, but are not limited to, alcohols, ketones or acetates.
As known in the art of the inkjet technology, the jet velocity, separation length of the droplets, drop size and stream stability is greatly affected by the surface tension and the viscosity of the aqueous composition. Inkjet imaging fluids suitable for use with inkjet printing systems may have a surface tension in the range from 20 to 60 dyne/cm, and preferably from 30 to 50 dyne/cm. Control of surface tensions in aqueous inkjet fluids may be accomplished by additions of small amounts of surfactants. The level of surfactants to be used can be determined through simple empirical experiments. Several anionic and nonionic surfactants are known in the inkjet art. Commercial surfactants include the SURFYNOL series, e.g., SURFYNOL 104, SURFYNOL 45, SURFYNOL FS-80, SURFYNOL PSA-216 (available from Air Products, Allentown, Pa.); the DYNOL series, e.g., DYNOL 604 (available from Air Products, Allentown, Pa.); the TRITON series, e.g., TRITON X-100 (available from Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia, Pa.); the ZONYL series (available from E.I. duPont de Nemours Co., Wilmington, Del.); the FLUORAD series (available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., St. Paul, Minn.); the AEROSOL series (available from American Cyanamid Co., Wayne, N.J.); and similar chemicals. The viscosity of the fluid is preferably not greater than 20 mPA�s, e.g., from 1 to 10 mPA�s, preferably from 1 to 5 mPA�s at room temperature.
The inkjet imaging fluid may further comprise other ingredients. A biocide may be added to prevent unwanted microbial growth which may occur in the fluid over time, and which would otherwise degrade the shelf life of the fluid. Suitable biocides include, but are not limited to, PROXEL GXL (available from Zeneca Specialties, Manchester, UK), sodium OMADINE (available from Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp., New York, N.Y.), GIVGARD DXN (available from Givaudan Corp., New York, N.Y.), solution of 1,2-benzothiazoline-3-one, sodium hydroxide and dipropylene glycol, 2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide, sodium salt, DOWICIL (available from Dow Chemical, Midland, Mich.), cis-1-(3-chloroallyl)-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride, and similar chemicals or mixtures of such chemicals. When used, the biocide will typically be 0.1 to 3% by weight of the ink.
Additional additives that may be optionally present in the ink include thickeners, pH adjusters, buffers, conductivity-enhancing agents, drying agents and defoamers.
Dyes may be added in order to enhance the image contrast after jetting the image on the top layer. Many dyes and pigments are known to be suited for inkjet technology. Suitable dyes are further selected based on their compatibility in the carrier medium (i.e., aqueous-based or solvent-based) and on their compatibility with the reactive chemical compound, e.g., they should not lead to coagulation.
Specific embodiments of the imaging fluids and the compositions of the top layers are discussed below in detail, along with the imaging techniques associated therewith.
4. Imaging Techniques
4.1 Printing Member 100 and Imaging Fluid 108
According to the embodiment illustrated in
Although the top layer 106 is water-insoluble, it is found that the printing member 100 can be developed solely with water. Without being bound by any particular theory or mechanism, it is believed that the adhesion between even an oleophilic top layer 106 and a hydrophilic intermediate layer 104 is sufficiently weak that when the plate 100 is exposed to water, the top layer 106 can be easily removed as water molecules disrupt the weak adhesion between the top layer 106 and the intermediate layer 104. It is further believed that after imaging, the imaged areas in the top layer 106, i.e., where crosslinking has occurred, adhere significantly better to the intermediate layer 104, such that these imaged areas cannot be removed by water alone.
Suitable materials for forming the top layer 106 according to the invention include a photo-polymerizable moiety, the first component of a two-component photo-polymerization initiating system, and an optional binder. Examples of photo-polymerizable moieties include, but are not limited to, multifunctional acrylic monomers, oligomers, macromers, and combinations thereof. Hydrophilic moieties include polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydropropylpropylcellulose, polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide, gelatin, and mixtures thereof, polystyrene sulfonic acid, polyacrylic or methacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof. Aromatic diazonium salts may be added at low concentrations to to improve adhesion. Inorganic pigments such as silica, alumina, clays, and titanium dioxide may be added to improve the hydrophilic properties. Oleophilic moieties include acrylate, methacrylate, and vinyl compounds of polyesters, polyurethanes, polyepoxides, bisphenol A resins, and phenoxy resins among others.
Suitable polymeric binders include, for example, polystyrene, (meth)acrylic polymers and copolymers (such as polybutylmethacrylate, polyethylmethacrylate, polymethylmethacrylate, polymethylacrylate, butylmethacrylate/methylmethacrylate copolymer), polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol partially condensation-reacted with acetaldehyde, butadiene/acrylonitrile copolymer, and polyurethane binder. Also useful are aqueous alkaline-soluble polymers, such as (meth)acrylic polymer with substantial number of carboxylic acid functional groups, polymers with substantial number of phenol groups, and polymers with (meth)acrylate groups and carboxylate salt groups as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,462.
Photo-polymerization initiators are compounds that generate radicals under the influence of added energy from actinic light. Some photo-polymerization initiators require two different components. Examples of such two-component photo-polymerization initiating systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,615,567 and 3,479,185, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. These patents describe a hexaarylbiimidazole dimer as a first component and a free-radical-producing electron donor agent as a second component that act as co-synergists. Suitable free-radical-producing electron donor agents include, for example, methylene chloride, p-aminophenyl ketone, and N-phenylglycine. A preferred two-component photo-polymerization initiating system has 2,4,5-triphenylimidazolyl dimers consisting of two lophine radicals bound together by a single covalent bond and N-phenylglycine as a co-catalyst.
Suitable compositions for inkjet imaging fluid 108 include jettable fluids that contain the second component of the two-component photo-polymerization initiating system that readily reacts with the first component of the photo-polymerization initiating system in the top layer 106 of the printing member 100 upon exposure to light to initiate crosslinking and polymerization in the top layer 106.
4.2 Printing Member 200 and Imaging Fluid 208
In the embodiment illustrated in
Accordingly, the top layer 206 comprises a material that is hydrophilic or oleophilic, soluble (preferably in water), and photosensitive. Suitable materials for preparing the crosslinkable top layer 206 include water-soluble polymers with photo-crosslinking agents.
A suitable water-soluble photo-crosslinking agent such as bis-azide is particular useful. An example of one such bis-azide is 4,4′-diazidostilbene-2,2′-disodium sulfonate. Other water-soluble bis-azides that can be used include, but are not limited to, 4,4′-diazidobenzalacetone-2,2′-disulfonate disodium salt (described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,571, 1,3-bis(4′-azido-2′-sulfobenzylidene)butanone disodium salt, 2,6-bis(4′-azido-2′-sulfobenzylidene)cyclohexanone disodium salt, 2,6-bis(4′-azido-2′sulfobenzylidene)-4-methylcyclohexanone disodium salt, 2,5-bis(4′-azido-2′-sulfobenzylidene)cyclopentanone disodium salt, 4,4′-diazidocinnamylideneacetone-2,2′-disodium sulfonate, 2,6-bis(4′-azido-2′-sulfocinnamylidene)cyclohexanone disodium salt, 2,6-bis(4′-azido-2′-sulfocinnamylidene)-4-methylcyclohexanone disodium salt, and 2,5-bis(4′-azido-2′-sulfocinnamylidene)cyclopentanone disodium salt. In each of the disodium sulfonate compounds, the sodium atoms may be substituted by other atoms or atomic groups such as hydrogen, ammonium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, barium, aluminum, and the like.
The bis-azide is preferably present in the top layer 206 in an amount of from about 2% to about 40% by weight, more preferably from about 4% to about 25% by weight, and most preferably from about 5% to about 10% by weight.
Water-soluble polymers that undergo crosslinking by bis-azides are suitable materials for preparing the top layer 206. Examples include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylamide-diacetone acrylamide copolymer, polyacrylamide, copolymers of acrylamide, gelatin, and mixtures thereof.
Water-soluble polymers that may or may not be crosslinked by bis-azides in amounts up to about 40% of the weight of the top layer 206 can also be incorporated. Such materials are used to improve coating quality and adhesion. They include polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, polystyrene sulfonic acid, polyacrylic or methacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof. Aromatic diazonium salts may be added at low concentrations to the top layer 206 to improve adhesion. Inorganic pigments such as silica, alumina, clays, and titanium dioxide may be added to improve the hydrophilic properties of the top layer 206.
Another class of compounds that can insolubilize water-soluble polymers by photo-crosslinking are aromatic diazonium salt-containing compounds. They are prepared by the condensation of aromatic diazonium salt compounds and a condensation agent. Formaldehyde is a preferred condensation agent. Other condensation agents that can be used according to the invention include various bis-(alkoxymethyl)diphenyl ethers. Preferred diazonium salt-containing compounds are 4-diazodiphenylamine sulfate, 3-methoxy-4-diazodiphenylamine sulfate, 4-phenoxydiazobenzene zinc chloride double salt, and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-tolylmercaptodiazobenzene zinc chloride double salt. Preferred counter-anions of the aromatic diazonium salts include zinc chloride, sulfate, and mixtures thereof, chloride, dihydrogen phosphate, mixtures of zinc chloride, sulfate and phosphate, and methyl sulfonate. Other counter-ions can also be used.
The diazonium salt-containing compound is preferably present in the top layer 206 in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight, more preferably from about 10% to about 40% by weight, and most preferably from about 15 to about 20% by weight.
The diazonium salt-containing compounds can undergo self-crosslinking to cause insolubilization of the top layer 206 without any participation of the constitutive polymer. A host of water-soluble polymers may therefore be used in the top layer 206 according to the invention. They include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydropropylpropylcellulose, polyacrylic or methacrylic acid, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide, gelatin, and mixtures thereof.
Suitable oleophilic materials for top layer 206 include acrylate, methacrylate, and vinyl compounds of polyesters, polyurethanes, polyepoxides, bisphenol A resins, and phenoxy resins among others.
Alternatively, the top layer 206 can comprise a mixture of water-soluble monomers and initiators of photo-polymerization. Examples of water-soluble monomers suitable for preparing the top layer 206 according to the invention include, but are not limited to, acrylamide, diacetone acrylamide, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide, N,N′-ethylene bisacrylamide, diacrylamide, omega acrylamidocaproic acid, piperazine diacrylamide, acrylyl pyrollidone, and mixtures thereof.
Water-soluble photoinitiators that can be used with these water-soluble monomers include, but are not limited to, ceric ammonium oxalate, manganic ammonium oxalate, and photoreducible dyes such as methylene blue, eosin yellow, erythrosin, and rose bengal. These photoreducible dyes require a co-catalyst. A tertiary amine, such as trimethylamine, triethanolamine, and others, can be used. A preferred photo-polymerization initiator is 2-hydroxy-3-(3,4-dimethyl-9-oxo-9H-thioxanthene-2-yloxy)-N,N,N-trimethyl-1-propanaminium chloride together with triethanolamine as a co-catalyst.
As a further alternative, the top layer 206 may be prepared by polyvinyl alcohol containing photo-crosslinking groups. The synthesis and characteristics of highly photosensitive polymers derived from polyvinyl alcohols that contain stilbazolium groups at low mole percent, even less than 1 mole percent, is well known and described, for example, in J. of Poly. Sci.: Poly. Letters Ed., 18:613 (1980). Such materials are commercially available from Toyo Gosei (Ichikawa City, Japan) and Esprix Technologies (Sarasota, Fla.). They are sold as viscous aqueous solutions which upon dilution with water can be coated. They are stable and are effectively crosslinked by light exposure. Their peak light absorption ranges from 342 to 380 nm. Additives such as aromatic diazonium salt-containing compounds can be added to improve adhesion.
The optional use of a thin layer of an aromatic diazonium salt-containing compound between an oleophilic intermediate layer 204 and hydrophilic top layer 206 of the positive plate 200 has been found to significantly improve adhesion. For this purpose, the previously described diazonium salt-containing compounds are preferred. Diazo resins that are solvent-soluble may also be used. Their counter-anions include, but are not limited to, toluene sulfonate, tetrafluoroborate, and hexafluorophosphate. The diazonium salt-containing compounds are coated onto the oleophilic layer 204 from dilute solutions and may have surfactant additives.
A desirable feature of a photosensitive plate that is imaged by inkjet printing is that the plate should be unaffected by exposure to ambient light. The plate can then be imaged without any shielding from room light. This feature can be achieved in the positive plate 200 of this invention by incorporating colorants into the photosensitive top layer 206 that absorb at wavelengths of photosensitivity of the photosensitive top layer 206. The dye concentration should be high enough to enable the coating to be unaffected by exposure to room light and low enough to enable the photoreaction to occur when the top layer 206 is blanket-exposed to more intense radiation. Suitable dyes and pigments for this purpose include, but are not limited to, Acid Yellow 25 (C.I. 18835), Acid Yellow 29 (C.I. 18900), Acridine Yellow G (C.I. 46025), Basic Yellow 2 (C.I. 41000), and aqueous dispersions of carbon black and yellow pigments.
Suitable imaging fluids 208 for imaging the printing member 200 include chemicals that inhibit photoreaction. Antioxidants, for example, can be used to inhibit the photoreaction. Suitable antioxidants for use in imaging fluids 208 according to the invention include, but are not limited to, hydroquinone, 4-methoxyphenol, 2,6-di-(t-butyl)-4-methylphenol, 2,2′-methylenebis-(4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol), diesters of thiodipropionic acid, triarylphosphite, and the nitroso dimer inhibiting system described in British Patent No. 1,453,681.
Alternatively, masking agents can be used as the imaging fluid 208. Examples are dyes or pigments that absorb at wavelengths of photosensitivity of the photosensitive top layer 206. They include, but are not limited to, Acid Yellow 25 (C.I. 18835), Acid Yellow 29 (C.I. 18900), Acridine Yellow G (C.I. 46025), Basic Yellow 2 (C.I. 41000), and aqueous dispersions of carbon black and yellow pigments. Imaging fluids 208 may also be prepared by combining the two types of active agents listed above.
Although imaging methods involving imagewise applying a masking agent on a positive-working printing plate have been disclosed (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,486), current positive-working plates typically have an oleophilic top layer which becomes soluble when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. A masking agent is applied imagewise on the top layer to prevent solubilization of the imaged area. Similar to negative-working printing plates, currently available positive-working printing plates require removal of the non-image areas to reveal the hydrophilic layer underneath to create an imagewise lithographic pattern.
In contrast, the construction of printing member 200 allows an imaging method that requires only the imaged area to be removed. Since the image of typical imaged lithographic plates represents about 20 to 30% of the plate surface area, only a small portion of the top layer 206 needs to be removed. Accordingly, less coating is accumulated in the developer, and the developer can last longer in the present invention. The printing member 200, therefore, offers benefits that were not previously available.
It will be seen that the foregoing techniques provide a basis for improved lithographic printing and superior plate constructions. The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. Instead, it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
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This hotel is in a good, quiet, location. Has a good breakfast in the AM included. Our particular room had a so-so comfy mattress, and the bathroom wasn't super clean, but OK.. Nice lobby/breakfast area and pool... Would try it again most likely.
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Best Western Inn Wytheville. Wake up to a great day at our hotel in Wytheville, VA. Enjoy a gorgeous sunrise over the mountains and a delicious complimentary breakfast. For business, our free high-speed Internet access keeps you connected. For pleasure, the outdoor pool is a great way to relax in the afternoon. Best of all, Best Western Inn Wytheville offers pet-friendly accommodations so you can bring the whole family along! ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Travelocity, Expedia, Booking.com, Best Western, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Priceline, TripOnline SA, Odigeo and Tingo so you can book your BEST WESTERN Wytheville Inn reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
- Also Known As:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Voles are eating my flowers!
Do you have any good ideas on getting rid of voles? I think they're voles and not moles although I'm not sure if it matters. I have piles of dirt over my fresh mulch and flowers dying - uneaten from the top but dying from the roots. He has eaten petunias, lobelia, snapdragons, and sweet potato vines. I have tried Castor Oil but it hasn't seemed to help.
As far as I know, voles don't make dirt mounds, they sort of hide in places over the summer and do their damage in the winter.
How big are the piles of dirt? You might have a gopher. I usually drown mine with a garden hose - they come out when their tunnel is full and get whacked. Thats probably the easiest way to go.
But if that doesn't work, any hardware shop will have traps.
I think gopher is likely.
Moles eat earthworms, altho' I guess their activities below ground can kill plants. Gophers have the nerve to even eat your plants while you are standing there watching! They aren't very far below the soil surface and the roots seem to hold the most interest to gophers.
Voles are "meadow mice" and can be fairly serious garden pests. I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me before but I was reading something from UCDavis the other day and they suggest getting a dozen or more mouse traps and baiting with either peanut butter and oatmeal or apple pieces. For mice, I've had very good luck with peanut butter and raisins.
Anyway, I have "driven off" gophers if not killed them with a metal bar and a hammer. Spending about 30 minutes in about 20 square feet of ground gives you a chance to put down dozens of holes, a couple of feet deep. 3/8th inch rebar should work but I used a smaller rod. For sure, I pierced the burrows in many places if not skewered the little pests, themselves.
I have popped a gopher out of a burrow with a 4-pronged cultivator and whacked him and I've flooded vole burrows with good effect.
Guard Your Garden!


text:
New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
I was looking on the web to find a version of Univers which I encountered some time ago, called 'Univers BQ'. I think this was a digital version from Berthold (but now it can't be found on their new site). It was a superior digitalisation than the Adobe/Linotype one (See also Detailtypografie by Forssman & de Jong). And it had the original &-sign!
I know there is something like the Neue Univers (with the new numbering system) from Linotype, but I don't like it as much as the old one. Could this old 'Univers BQ' version be for sale somewhere?
Bitstream's Zurich sports that ampersand.
the only relevant thing i can find is this link to a Typos web page about the "missing bq fonts;" the page is mainly in german and dictionary.com's german>english translator gives me the cryptic: "For above Berthold BQ Fonts the no more in the program is, requires you please proposals for solution over. Thanks." if you find this message mysterious and alluring there's a "support" email so you could try emailing them
The new Berthold Site is http://www.bertholdtypes.com
The typos site says: List of BQ Fonts from the original Berthold Type Collecion not in the current programm, because of licens reasons.
Note: The new Berhold Type Corporation has only the rights of the old phototypes form the original Berthold AG Berlin. Lots of other metal typefaces has Berthold AG / Bauer & Co published - not available form Berthold or any other sources.
So it's not available anymore? Who has the rights then for this version?
There's a very complicated legal battle going on, if I'm not mistaken. A lot of Berthold is in legal limbo for the moment. I'll see if I can find some more info for you, unless anyone else on the board knows the situation firsthand. That'd save me the trouble.
"How much is that doggie in the window?..."
Sorry, Lettertiep, het was even sterker dan mezelf. Cute. See, Isaac? This is not creepy.
i thought the dog was creepier than gw.
oh well, maybe i'll have time next week
to make a lekker new one. it just might
be that wicked ampersand from univers bq.
i thought the dog was creepier than gw.
oh well, maybe i'll have time next week
to make a lekker new one. it just might
be that wicked ampersand from univers bq.
oops. double.
I found this type specimen last night digging around for Times New Roman information. If you scroll down, almost to the bottom, you'll see the Univers specimen. Does anyone know if this is original? My guess is yes by the name on the sample. Check out the ampersand.
Hey, It's GeeDubya ...
AFTER finding my brain... forget the above. I'm gonna continue to dig.
***so embarassed***
It is Neue Haas Grotesk. I was confused. Drat! Blast!
thanks for the link anyway. cool stuff.
say what you want about helvetica, hrant,
that poster is great. i've always thought
the univers chart was cool, but it's even
better in color. long may she wave.
Peignot all the way, dude.
I tought the dog was less scarier than my face ;)
Anyway, nobody can buy a decent digital
Just as uncomfortable as not being able to purchase a license to a decent digital Annonce Gothic Extended, dude! CSA Images' "Bigford" comes close, though.
Not every typeface makes it to the screen, unfortunately. That's the harsh reality.
And trust me, Bitstream's version is mighty fine. I've got their full type collection on CD-ROM (that was actually my very first purchase as an independent (typo)graphic designer) and I can assure you their digitizations are top notch. Just compare their Zapf Humanist or Humanist Slabserif 712 to Adobe's version of Optima (not that I would use that face in a million years) or Egyptienne F. Suddenly, you'll realize that a lot of lines were meant to be oh so slightly curved, not straight.
Agree with Peter about quality of outlines but not about "Bitstream rights," hum.
Anyway, I'm here because of the Ampersand of Univers. The Second one is the original one made by Frutiger team at the time of Deberny and Peignot, then for US market (perhaps for the Monotype version in early days), they designed an alternative one such &.
merci bien!
hmmm, too bad the version isn't around anymore. I compared it with the Zurich, which is indeed better than Adobe/Linotype, but I still like the Berthold version more. Maybe I should go for the neue Univers...
or for the new Akzidenz Grotesk (with the old style figures: lekker)... Let's go swiss ;)
BTW, what was Erik van Bloklands quote again about the digitalisation of the adobe Univers?
Neue Univers from Linotype show too much contrast to my eyes, particularly in intermediates weights, due to not enough control of interpolation I think.
Thanks for the link to the 'modern' typefaces. The Foundry
Thanks for the link. If you are interested in the history behind either Renner or Futura, you really need to read Chris Burke's book about none other than Paul Renner. Imagine that. Sorry, sarcasm intended it has been one of those days. Thanks for the image too. The ligatures are very cool. I always wished I had a g in my name so i could use that wacky alternat.
Thanks for the link. If you are interested in the history behind either Renner or Futura, you really need to read Chris Burke's book about none other than Paul Renner. The chapter on the Futura type alone, makes it well worth the money.
Imagine that. Sorry, sarcasm intended it has been one of those days. Thanks for the image too. The ligatures are very cool. I always wished I had a g in my name so i could use that wacky alternate.
Here is a quote attributed to Renner, very interesting:
"The truly Modern, that is, the undistorted expression of an objective zeitgeist, is only what we hold today to be timelessly perfect. This is not the same in all periods, because the insight into the timelessly valid changes from generation to generation."
Sorry about the double post.
> I always wished I had a g in my name
Make up a middle name for yourself!
Like "Evangelista" or something.
Hi Tiffany,
I've got the Renner book, and I've read it cover-to-cover. I'm enough of a geek that I've read the biographies of Renner, Bruce Rogers, Jan Tschichold, Baskerville, Goudy, and probably a couple of others. I've thought of writing an article or short biography of W.A. Dwiggins.
I had at one time thought of making up my own custom version of Futura, just because I was intrigued by the alternate characters, then I discovered that The Foundry had already done it.
You don't have a
the funky upside-down y as an a is pretty cool.
i haven't seen these alternates before. this
is turning into a very informative thread.
and why can't you spell your name tiffang?
it's your name, eh.
Isaac, PLEASE! Another yucky picture... Who the flying firetruck is that?
The alternative letters are pretty fun. Since Futura has so many round shapes, you can substitute an alternate a, for instance, in a word like page, where you would otherwise have three circles one-after-another. Having read Hrant's pages, I would now say that this improves the Bouma. The alternative characters can break the pattern, and even substituting a single letter can radically change the look of Futura.
There were originally several other characters
I realize that I
the use of small caps seems rather quaint
with most sans-serifs
Also, the present mania of fitting grotesque fonts
with true italics. Honest grotesques should have
Neutraface could give Futura a serious run for the money. I think it works amazingly well as both text and headline face, and it has all the trimmings, including small caps and true italics, loads of ligatures, alternate characters, 7 sets of numerals and whatnot. Yummy... Schwarz rules.
Neutraface is well done but too art-d
I wrote:
Interestingly, though Futura was designed 80 years before,
it does not.
Of course it couldn't look parodistic, being the real
thing. I mean: it doesn't look art-decoish, it doesn't
scream "1930!".
it is not going to scream "art-deco", it is from
a totally different movement
Which "totally different movement", please?
I admit I haven't explored all the variants, but
the little I've seen is art-decoish enough. Not that
there's anything wrong with that, it's a question of
Thanks, Stephen.
Dear "CB". I don't get what "joke" I could be having at
your expense. A quick glance at the 'Neutraface history'
link at House Industries tells a little about how C. Schwartz
used actual photographs of lettering used by Neutra in
his work. But you may know that architectural lettering
was influenced by art-d
BTW, if one believes the theory that Futura was
in fact "copied" from the work of Ferdinand Kramer,
then it also is a typeface based on architectural
I haven't read Christopher Burke's book, but I have a
copy of a magazine article with the sordid details.
CB, I see that I was misunderstanding what you said.
My point is: Futura is very much a product of its
time, indeed, but its structures have aged well and
remain fresh to this day, while art-d
> Honest grotesques should have obliques.
It takes a man's man to say that these days.
I think we agree, I just didn't understand
your linking Futura to art-deco
It seems there has been some mutual
misunderstanding, indeed...
What I think is quite the opposite.
Anyway, about Futura: it's Walter Tracy,
I think, in his Letters of Credit, that
says that Futura became such a successful
and influential typeface exactly because
it got rid of the alternative, experimental
But the lowercase ("old-style") figures and
f-ligs are essential. Many moons ago (even
before the The Foundry version was released,
IIRC), I designed my own set of lc figures
and f ligatures to use with Futura.
Mister Univers lover.
If you really really want it. Then I can get it.
I believe the only digital Univers with the Et ampersand are the Linotype Univers and the BQ Univers. I think I agree with Jean-Francois about the Linotype Univers, something not quite right about it.
As Jean-Francois also alludes, Bitstream Zurich is obviously an unauthorised clone of the original.
If you really want the "proper" ampersand I don't really see any reason not to digitise your own, adding to the original Linotype/Adobe fonts (which are resonably good) - your original licence governs the redistribution. There are plenty of sources around for the artwork, including old Letraset catalogues (only available as rub-down lettering as far as I remember).
Tiffany, were you asking whether the Univers grid you referenced was an original? Hard to tell from your image, but there's lots of reprints of it in lots of books - I think even the A4 flyer/samples were reprinted, I've seen them in bookshops for a couple of quid.
Hmm, Futura, it's nice to see some of the more experimental, original forms, especially those "g"s.
Hate to veer any further from the original topic, but here's more on Neutraface.
Of course it couldn't look parodistic, being the real thing. I mean: it doesn't look art-decoish, it doesn't scream "1930!".
Well it is not going to scream "art-deco", it is from a totally different movement - but it is definitely a product of its time, especially the more unusual character forms.
BTW, Neutraface wasn't designed 80 years after Futura, you should read the House web site for the background.
Rodolfo, I think you're having a joke at my expense, but just in case: Futura is influenced by the Bauhaus, a pretty good description here:
On the contrary, CB, I think Rodolfo is rather sincere.
I have found that anonymous posters are most often
more aggressive, malicious and lacking in tact than
those who have registered. Please prove me wrong.
Rodolfo, yes, I think we agree, I just didn't understand your linking Futura to art-deco - I think you're just meaning it's a product of its era, and art-deco and Bauhaus are of course contemporaneus (sp?).
With Neutraface, yes, there was no lowercase (AFAIK), so Christian designed his own to fit - I'm not sure on the origins of Neutra's lettering, but certainly it was in use in the 1950s. However, again, I'd say that the influence was Bauhaus/Modernism rather than art-deco.
Whichever, they both originate in the 1930s.
Stephen, I don't believe I have anything to prove - read Rudolfo's later post. As to names - well I tried my own name, but some villain has apparently pinched it - so it was a pseudonym whatever way I did it.
>Futura became such a successful
>and influential typeface exactly because
>it got rid of the alternative, experimental
I think that's probably close to the truth - we can probably consider that the experimental characters were exactly that, rather than something to be eventually used.
I actually used one of the "g" variants in a design project, had to cut it out of black paper - no one knew the face it originated from.
Also, if you look at some of the much later Futura variant/adaptions, I think it's clear that the experimental forms would not have been possible - even in the bold versions of The Foundry versions they look somewhat ungainly - think about an ultra-black condensed!?
I was reminded about something yesterday, about the Univers ampersand. I mailed Adobe about this a little while ago - you know of course that now the Adobe Univers is available as OpenType? Anyway, I remarked to them that a new digital Univers, without the "proper" ampersand, seemed like a missed opportunity to me - they could have had it as an alternate form.
I don't believe it's been changed.


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The end of the book does come as a surprise but, like Seinfeld might say, "not in a good way".
It was a solid story, but I didn't feel compelled to feel any emotion (rooting for/against) the main character.
The book was compelling and a quick read; the ending caught me by surprise, which is always a plus.
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All of the negative reviews of this book have been too kind. I always believe that a bad book will eventually become worthwhile if I make it through the first 50 pages or so. Read morePublished on May 22, 2010 by Carl Stewart
Reviews I read about Now You See Him were great and made me want to read it, but it's actually quite boring. Read morePublished on August 5, 2009 by Beth
One of the worst books I have ever read. Yeah, the guy has a reasonable prose style and can do dialogue, but this misshapen thing just wanders all over the map without reaching a... Read morePublished on May 16, 2009 by D. C. Carrad
This novel works on two levels: it's a suspenseful page-turner and also a thoughtful reflection on friendship, marriage, and our inability to leave the past behind. Read morePublished on April 23, 2009 by Chuck Augello
Some books give you lovely writing. Some books give you page-turning suspense. This book gives you both. Read morePublished on March 27, 2009 by MarlowesMom
"Now You See Him" is one of the more enjoyable novels I've read in some time. Easy to read and follow, even after a long day, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing where the next plot twist... Read morePublished on November 16, 2008 by Kathy Parsons


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I am a chef and food writer based in Munich, Germany. My cooking and living area is Untergiesing, a very traditional and picturesque area near the Isar river with lot of greens and old houses (and a small brewery round the corner ;-)
That's a perfect base to discover the world as it is - and often common is more interesting than luxurious, especially when it comes to food. "Food is a language everyone knows" is my motto when travelling and its always a nice thing to meet over.
I have lived several years in Austria and Australia, Japan is a treasure I keep always in mind and actually I am fallin in love with Indonesia.
Grüß Gott, good on you & samasama


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Seattle PI Sports Blog
Seattle sports news, covering the Seattle Sounders, Washington Huskies, college football, college basketball, NBA and other sports topics. View the Seahawks and Mariners blogs for NFL and MLB news.
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Seattle Sounders look to make history in US Open Cup
In 2009, in their first year as a Major League Soccer team, the Seattle Sounders took the U.S. Open Cup by storm, powering through six matches to take the cup from defending-champion D.C. United. In 2010, they won again, becoming the first MLS team to win consecutive Open Cups. Last year, having taken the cup […] [Read More]
Sounders Women star Alex Morgan lands in Maxim's Hot 100
U.S. national team and Seattle Sounders women's squad star Alex Morgan drew just a bit of attention when she posed in body paint for Sports Illustrated. Now she's landed on Maxim magazine's new list of the 100 hottest women in the world, released Monday. Morgan, who joined fellow national team members Hope Solo and Sydney […] [Read More]
Attention world: Hope Solo is welcoming new love interests and dating
Richland native, Seattle Sounders women's squad star and U.S. Olympic goalkeeper Hope Solo has a hectic schedule, as you might imagine. But she tries to make time for, you know, non-soccer stuff. "I make time for it all, and I don't know how I do it because I feel like I never have time for […] [Read More]
Drew Carey, minority owner, tells Jimmy Kimmel all about Sounders FC
You can tell comedian Drew Carey is a big fan of the Seattle Sounders, of which he's a minority owner. Wednesday night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," when Kimmel asked him about the Sounders, Carey just went on and on and on. Of course, since the rest of the country doesn't ever pay attention to us […] [Read More]
Sounders FC ranked No. 1 in ESPN's MLS power rankings
After finally getting the best of the L.A. Galaxy last week and beating Philadelphia on Saturday, the Seattle Sounders FC has jumped to a 6-1-1 record — and the top spot in ESPN's Major League Soccer power rankings this week. "So the Sounders have played just two road games, but you still have to win […] [Read More]
Hope Solo caught in Japan quake: 'I was about to pass out'
Hope Solo seems to always be wherever disaster strikes. First she nearly witnessed a shooting at a Vancouver, B.C., hotel in January. Now she got caught in Tuesday's 6.4-magnitude earthquake in northern Japan. And let's not forget her performances on "Dancing with the Stars." (Oh snap! Just kidding.) Solo and the rest of the U.S. […] [Read More]
Hope Solo considered playing with men, says soccer will be biggest sport in U.S.
When the Women's Professional Soccer organization suspended the 2012 season due to internal strife, local star Hope Solo had to find a new team to play for as she prepares for the Olympics this summer in London. And, for a while, she was thinking of joining a men's team. "I thought about it when our […] [Read More]
Alex Morgan joins teammate Hope Solo on Sounders women's squad
Alex Morgan, a striker on the U.S. women's national soccer team, has signed with the Seattle Sounders Women as she trains for the Olympics. Morgan, who turned heads during last year's World Cup, is joining her national-team teammate Hope Solo on the Sounders women's squad. Since making her debut on the national team in 2010, […] [Read More]
Hope Solo: 'I had no business being on the field at the World Cup'
Hope Solo was the star of the U.S. women's soccer team's outstanding run to the World Cup Finals last year. But the goalkeeper, who wowed crowds with her shot-stopping skills, was in a lot of pain, it turns out. "I had no business being on the field at the World Cup really," the former Huskies […] [Read More]
Would you like to blog about the Sounders for seattlepi.com?
Updated 12:15 p.m., Feb. 27: OK, we've gotten a lot of interest in writing for a Sounders reader-blog. Unfortunately, I've gotten so many inquiries that I'm closing this opportunity. However, if you are interested in blogging about other sports as a reader-blogger, feel free to shoot me an email. Seattlepi.com is looking for several people […] [Read More]
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Voiceover...Sanity in the Age of Madness
A Baby Boomer's Look at Today's Culture
Reviewed by
Patty Sutherland
John Sponcia, a former Ford Motor Company executive and dealership owner in his sixties, began writing a blog of personal musings in June 2009. Eighteen months later, at the behest of friends and readers, he compiled his posts into an easy-to-read, 250-page book of opinions about contemporary issues and reflections on his parents and their generation.
Sponcia has a keen eye for the ubiquity of incongruity and ironic humor that permeates modern life, and his opinions are probably shared by a large percentage of his peers. His political views are all over the map, and he unequivocally purports a clear dislike for both parties and all politicians, with one exception. Vice President Joe Biden is one of his favorite people, and his respect for Biden's outspokenness is a recurring theme. Conversely, he vehemently dislikes Sarah Palin and Nancy Pelosi.
Sponcia takes issue with literally hundreds of aspects of American society in the twenty-first century, from piercings to airlines to customer service. Unfortunately, much of what he writes about has been lambasted before, and his spin is neither unique nor creative. For example, he writes in a chapter directed at the Facebook community that you should not include private, internal feelings that are incomplete sentences, your plans for the day, complaints about your life, or random comments.
When writing about his life and family, Sponcia is at his best. He writes with feeling about a period of unemployment he endured in the mid 1970s, and his poignant reminiscing about his parents is a joy to read. Sponcia's father, a hard-working Italian American who raised four sons, passed away during the author's blogging period, offering a special poignancy to these posts. Also well done are his posts about patriotism and his travels.
Voiceover… Sanity in the Age of Madness will find a receptive audience among late middle-aged, working-class men with strong feelings about modern life and culture. Students of sociology might also find it useful as a glimpse into the mind of a fairly typical baby boomer born in the late 1940s.


text: I have been sent reports about some people not getting this, so resending. Apologies if you already saw it. Rob. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Beta release of 1.04 available for testing Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 01:24:08 +0100 From: Robert May <rmay@...> To: perl-win32-gui-hackers@..., perl-win32-gui-users@... Hi all, I'm looking for beta testers for a 1.04 release (finally :-P). The beta release is labelled v1.03_04, and is available for download from http://www.robmay.me.uk/win32gui/. Release Notes and a Perl 5.8 PPM are linked at the bottom of the page. Please download and give it a spin. Feedback to the users list (perl-win32-gui-users@...), please. I'm particularly interested in feedback on - the ReleaseNotes (that will also get installed with the html documentation) - any backwards compatibility issues. - anything that worked before any doesn't now - if, following installation, typing 'win32-gui-demos' at your command prompt works for you, and the UI is understandable. There's a lot of new stuff, so make sure you read the release notes. I'll not be very active for the next few weeks, but will catch up after that. Enjoy! Did I say to make sure you read the release notes? They're online at http://www.robmay.me.uk/win32gui/RELEASENOTES.TXT Regards, Rob. -- Robert May Win32::GUI, a perl extension for native Win32 applications http://perl-win32-gui.sourceforge.net/


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Contact details
Located in the O'Callaghan Davenport Luxury Hotel in Dublin, Lanyon's offers fine food & wine in style & comfort in a traditional Georgian interior. Specialities include seafood, vegetarian dishes & European cuisine for Breakfast & Carvery Lunch.
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The staff at check in and check in process were both great. I would/will stay here next time I'm in Stafford.
Super nice staff and spacious room. Loved the fact that it was pet friendly and my pup was able to stay with me for free.
Small bathroom, lighting in the room was not bright.
Housekeeping team would come to clean too early in the morning. Two hours prior to check out.
comfortable bed; suite setup; available appliances; style
very little; parking is abnormal, tight quarters
Twice I confirmed my reservation and both times the staff person who was on the phone could not find me. So I cancelled that reservation and made a new one on line, through Kayak. When I got to the site with a reservation print out in my hand, which contained a conformation number the gentleman at the desk again, could not find me and told me no such registration existed. I finally got a supervisor that seemed to have a clue that got me in my room. I have nothing great to say about the housekeeping, the light in my bathroom was literally falling off of the wall and the first washcloth I picked up to use had something black on it, and smelled like shoe polish. Their "free" breakfast is nothing special, was generally empty; the lady who was filling seemed more interested in chatting with someone than keeping things filled and hot. the coffee, ugh, the coffee! it was sort of funny to watch the folks and the others in my party who ate breakfast together see the faces folks made when they tasted the coffee. This location has the absolute worst coffee I have ever tasted. And, when I went for tea instead, all there was was Chamomile. Who drinks Chamomile for breakfast? thank goodness there is a Waffle House, Dunkin Donuts and a Wawa close by. In a word, whoever runs the place has some work to do; Do yourself a favor chose somewhere else.
Good free breakfast plus a wine/beer managers reception.
The staff were above and beyond helpful and tremendous, and I am speaking particularly about the night staff. The room was nice and spacious. The free breakfast was unbelievably tasty and a good variety. Lots of parking and free parking which is a huge plus for out of state travelers. There was free wifi but it was slow because it was open and free. But it was there and that is what I appreciated.
There were just a FEW minor things I did not like about this place. While the room was clean for the most part, in the bathroom on the ceiling was mold. That is super gross. They need to scrub it and get ventilation in that bathroom.
Free wifi just dropped whenever it felt like it.
Another thing I did not particularly enjoy was check out. I am slow when I check out to make sure I don't forget anything. I was a minute or two (literally 1-2 minutes) behind check out time to ensure I had everything and someone came knocking on the door threatening to charge me for another day if I didn't get out immediately because I was 'way passed the check out time' at 2 minutes. The weekend day staff needs to improve this, seriously.
The staff was the best feature. From check in to check out and everything we did in between (housekeeping, business services, dining, laundry) the staff was professional, efficient, kind, helpful, and pleasant.
Initially, when you turn off the I-95 exit and drive towards the hotel, the area looks depressing. However, once you enter the hotel, it is bliss. And when you explore the area, you realize it's a good location surrounded by lots of stores and restaurants
The price was great for the level of comfort and spacious room. The breakfast served was excellent for an inclusive benefit. The person who checked us in was helpful and directed us to a nearby restaurant which was most enjoyable. This was overall a good experience.
There is road construction around the hotel which made it a bit difficult to get to, but that is not the fault of the hotel, and I am sure the construction will be finished some day!
Upgrade to king bed was nice. Only requested queen but there was no additional charge. Lots of food nearby. Overall good!
Location was great.
No flat screen tv
The bathroom was horrid! Hair everywhere and I've seen cleaner bus station toilets! The carpet was it's own living and breathing biological experiment. Never again! I was shocked to see the condition of the room after staying in other Days Inns. This place must have been on "Hotel Rescue"!
Seemed like an extended stay type place with people outside their rooms drinking, smoking pot and cigs. Gross
In spite of a fire alarm being set off by some unruly guests at 5:00am, the staff was very apologetic and all else was excellent. Would stay there again. Beds were very comfortable. Room was very clean and spacious.
Stayed here for an event at the convention center, it was very convenient. Beds were very comfortable and the staff was excellent. The breakfast was pretty good as well. I would definitely stay here again.
Total experience
Everything was smooth as silk
It was conveniently located near near shopping,restaurants and a movie theater
No indoor pool. Breakfast only offered pork bacon and pork sausage. There should be a beef or tukey bacon or sausage for people who don't/can't eat pork.
The hotel was extremely clean. The bathroom was fantastic, especially the shower. I really liked the coat closet/hook.
The room was so HOT and the bed was so HARD. The thermostat read 75 but by morning I had turned it down to 63. I think the thermostat was off by 5-10 degrees.
The cleanliness of the hotel/room.
There were windows front and back that opened easily. No sounds from apartments on either side. low cost.
bed was too hard.
Picture showed a couch in room. People living in hotel. Not really a hotel, more like a community.
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Newegg.com - A great place to buy computers, computer parts, electronics, software, accessories, and DVDs online. With great prices, fast shipping, and top-rated customer service - once you know, you Newegg.
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This review is from: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model TLYD38G2133HC10QDC01
Pros: (Was) inexpensive. Overclocks as advertised. So far very stable. Gold looks good on a black motherboard
Cons: Not as affordable as it was.
Other Thoughts: Installed to 1600 default, but opted for XMP #1 in BIOS (advertised speeds) and voila.
Installed on ASRock FM2A78M ITX+ with A10-6800K. I was astounded by the speed difference between 1600 CL9 (stock) and 2133 CL11(ish, cause its 10-12-12...). It does bump the heat a few degrees too, but that makes sense since the proc spends less time at idle waiting for data from memory.
This review is from: SilverStone SG06S-LITE Silver Aluminum front panel, Steel body Mini-ITX Desktop Computer Case
Pros: The silver looks great: professional but not black. As mentioned on another review, great power button feel.
The front panel is actually fairly heavy guage aluminum.
The size is fantastic. You could actually put this on the desk-top and still have room to work. I don't remember the max graphics card size, but it will fit a two slot card of reasonable dimensions and performance.
Fairly quiet out of the box.
Cons: Golf Ball fan doesn't move much air, and makes a bit of noise coming through the side vents behind the front panel.
Front panel cables are long, as is the rear-mounted reset button. There would be plenty of cable to reach the furthest back corner of the case, though front panel headers are usually pretty near the front. Fan cable is super-duper long, and neither twisted, sleeved or fused together, so tight containment is tough to make look clean.
Top vent is a bit silly: If you have the PSU flipped so its pulling air through the vent, the rising heat from the system comes up next to the PSU and gets sucked back in. The remaining space on the vent isn't big enough for a fan to force-ably extract the hot case air (there is no fan mount anyway).
The PSU is directly over the motherboard, so aftermarket cooling is tough.
Even still, these are fairly small complaints when looking at what you get.
Other Thoughts: I built this with an AMD A10-6800K to get the graphics without an additional card, but at 100W TDP at 100% load, it gets loud. To mitigate, I used a Scythe Big Suriken 2, which still maxed out the fan speed to keep the processor cool. Anything taller though would impede airflow to the PSU if you do the traditional mounting.
it would cost about $200 more, but a hyper-threading i3 with a separate graphics card could be a quieter choice.
I replaced the golfball fan with a PWM unit (300 - 1600 rpm) from Scythe. Much quieter under normal conditions, and dropped the CPU temp by 5 degrees, 10 on the system temp under load. I think an air-penetrator fan from Silverstone would work even better.
Choose a cable-type adapter for the slimline optical drive: I chose a solid adapter (you connect existing data and power cables to it), and this caused some cable interference with the PSU.
This review is from: SAMSUNG Internal Slim 8x DVD Writer 8X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 6X DVD+R DL 8X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 8X DVD-ROM 24X CD-R 24X CD-ROM SATA Model SN-208FB/BEBE
Pros: slim DVD writer
Cons: Not SATA. Its mini-SATA, or mSATA, or Slimline. Not a fault of the product, but the Specs page could be more clear.
minimal adapter choices from Newegg.
Other Thoughts: First time ordering a slim optical drive. I could tell it wasn't regular SATA, but I couldn't tell what adapter to purchase to put it in a desktop case. I ended up purchasing a microsata adapter.
I found very little in the way of adapters searching for mSATA, none searching for mini-SATA. Searching for Slimline adapters proved much more fruitful. Still, very few that make sense for an SFF build: most have massively long SATA cables with short power connections. Very few choices are nice looking, mostly just long red sata with twisted pair to Molex 4-pin power.
Display Name: Jason C.
Date Joined: 03/02/10
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