Hamillroad Software, the world leader in Post-RIP Soft-Proofing Systems for Harlequin1 RIPs and TIFF2 based workflows, is pleased to announce the release of version 2.1 of FirstPROOF Plus, its powerful soft-proofing and approval system. With over ten new tools and features, including its Inverse Dot Gain invention, version 2.1 is a significant upgrade for existing customers and substantially increases the capabilities of FirstPROOF Plus. FirstPROOF Plus is Hamillroad Software’s high-end soft-proofing system with a substantial tool set that allows users of Harlequin and Adobe RIPs to view and approve output prior to imaging. With over twenty-five additional tools and features compared to FirstPROOF, FirstPROOF Plus is an upgrade which provides a significantly extended set of capabilities to proof jobs prior to output, to ensure that what is printed is right first time. The release of version 2.1 adds over ten new powerful tools and features to the existing version, including Hamillroad’s breakthrough Inverse Dot Gain Tool. This revolutionary tool allows one to emulate the Dot Gain characteristics of a particular output device and see on screen exactly what is going to be output from a printer’s perspective. Amongst the new tools are an Auto-Screen Tool which automatically determines the screen frequency and angle of each separation in a job, a Merge Separations Tool which allows one to merge multiple separations together (such as PT 123 CV and PT 123 CVC) and a Separation Comparison Tool which allows one to check that a re-run plate has only changed where expected. “We are extremely excited about this new release of FirstPROOF Plus.” comments Robert Miller, Hamillroad Software’s Product Director. “We had substantial feedback from our existing customer base with regards to the range of tools and features that they’d like to see added. These along with our own ideas and inventions have produced a system that contains a greatly enhanced and far more powerful set of tools for soft-proofing”. 1 Harlequin is a registered trademark of Global Graphics Software Limited, which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. 2 TIFF is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Inc. All other names are trademarks of their respective owners. But don’t listen to us; this is what one of our customers who is using the new 2.1 release had to say: “We have been using FirstPROOF since it was first released and every subsequent release has brought more exciting and essential functionality. The release of FirstPROOF Plus has had a drastic impact on our profitability with mistakes being picked up sooner and a drastic reduction in proofing materials used, so much so that the savings are paying for our new VLF Flexographic Platesetter.” said Gavin Jones, Director of Syreline Process. “The latest release of Plus is once again a giant leap forwards and I would urge any quality conscious shop to spend some time using it and really give it a try.” FirstPROOF Plus v2.1 is available immediately through Hamillroad Software’s sales partners, which include a number of dealers and distributors. For further details, please see our web site at www.hamillroad.com/main/sales/general.htm. FirstPROOF Plus v2.1 has also been made available to Hamillroad Software’s OEM sales partners. Specific information on their release plans can be obtained direct from the individual OEMs (see our web site at www.hamillroad.com/main/sales/general.htm).