The smoke and mirror brigades have been at it for some time now, promoting one new aspect of digital print after another. Two topics in particular have levels of hyperbole approaching that of NASCAR, the Superbowl or European soccer championships.

First up is trans-promo, which we've been hearing about for a few years now, usually promoted as if it will magically lift its practitioners out of the depths of whatever economic morass they may find themselves and hoist them to astonishing new levels of productivity and profits. Please.

Then there's ink jet, already very successful for large format and although appearing promising for various types of document printing, it is still just getting underway and has a ways to go. Its leading advocates claim the ink jet train has left the station. You've got to be kidding me. Sure, a couple engines and a few cars are moving, but the rest of the train is still sitting at the platform with passengers milling about, getting their tickets, trying to figure out where they are sitting, and wondering where the hell their luggage is.