Xerox Corp duly launched its Document Services Platform, based on modular products and an open architecture, to enable diverse computer operating systems to function seamlessly (CI No 2,394) – and called it the underpinnings for the Document Superhighway, although those that find superhighways a bit of a mouthful are going German these days and calling it the InfoBahn – DocuBahn in this case. Xerox promised that DocuSP will ultimately provide a framework for integrating document services from printers, desktops, scanners and storage devices with the same compatibility as a telephone when it is plugged into a wall outlet. DocuSP software is $53,000 and it will also be available packaged with Sun Microsystems Inc server hardware for $68,000, both in the fourth quarter. Presenting the system to a publishing gathering in New York, Xerox created books on demand – hard-bound, near-offset-quality books produced from digitally stored information initially scanned and edited in London. New products include an entry-level scanning system for a base price of $23,000 available now, and a high-speed scanner, available in June. Xerox will also offer the DocuPrint 6135 high speed black-and-white printer in the fourth quarter at $307,000 and a colour system a little later, starting at $224,000. Xerox has roped in AT&T Co to help develop and market services that enable customers to produce documents, on demand and virtually anywhere, starting with a full range of print finishing services such as covers, signature or spine binding, tabs and packaging. SynOptics Communications Inc, Santa Clara, also got in on the act with its Asynchronous Transfer Mode communications product line, helping Xerox to demonstrate its high-speed electronic publishing capability, showing the ability to access, download and manipulate complex digital documents – print-ready documents including diagrams, half-tone images and full colour photographs, stored on the networked Sun servers.
