(Originally published at WhatTheyThink.com for Premium Access Members on November 17, 2005) -- For years, digital press manufacturers and digital printers fought what seemed like an uphill battle to obtain the acceptance of digital printing in the creative and marketing communities. I don't think that, today, anyone would dispute that this battle has largely been won. Yes, there are some pockets of resistance, and education still needs to be done on specific applications, but between the maturation of the technology and the industry-wide awareness campaign that's been going on for the last decade, digital printing, as a technology, has largely become accepted.

This became abundantly clear when putting together TrendWatch GA's latest report on digital printing, "Digital Printing: It's Mainstream, Baby!" In planned investments, sales opportunities, and digital print volume indicators, what were once positive upticks have now become long-term trend lines.

Even in the graphic design and ad agency community, digital color printing - at least, for short-run color - has become largely accepted. According to the report, 36% of creatives now say their use of digital printing is "staying the same," and 42% say their use of digital printing is increasing "a little" (defined as 1-25%) or "a lot" (defined as 25% or more). Considering that creatives have traditionally been among the staunchest skeptics of digital printing, these are some very encouraging numbers.