Digital BW, The Print

> From: Ernst Dinkla <E.Dinkla@...>

> 
> Steve,
> 
> As I understand it there are people out there now that have
> bought Nanochrome inks and filled printers with that ink. I
> guess they do not have to sign NDAs to buy that ink.

Of course not.

>Is there 
> any advice given to them on the compatibility of the
> Nanochrome inks with papers that are already on the market
> whether infused or not ?

Ask InkVillage.  (I did not ask and so can't answer for you.)

>Is the ink as used now on for example
> PhotoRag delivering the optimum in fade resistance already or
> can the ink be considered a dye ink alike on HPR.

InkVillage are, I believe, doing fade tests.  If they don't provide them or
they don't perform well I suspect their ink will see lower use by members
here than otherwise.

>Do the early 
> buyers have to wait till the names of existing infused papers
> are revealed (if that ever happens with the mentioned NDAs for
> licenser and licensee) or do they have to wait till John
> starts selling his own substrates before they can use the inks
> in their optimum quality ?

If Infu6/Futures is prevented by contract from disclosing who is using their
infusion technology then it's unlikely to surface unless that contract is
broken, formally or informally.  Of course if Infu6/Futures does decide to
market their own line of media then they will not be bound by such contracts
and when those products are launched I'm sure they will entertain our
questions.  In the meantime, as with any other ink or media, we are free to
try different combinations and discuss the results amongst ourselves.  Some
results have already been discussed here.

> 
> I thought that John could provide those answers in a
> statement. Seems the most general information a Nanochrome
> user likes to get if he didn't get that already. Any DIY fade
> tests will only get relevance if the users know whether the
> media used is in the compatibility list or not. And when
> there's no need for a compatibility list as the inks will
> perform optimally on any substrate then it is good to have
> that written down too.
> 
> I mean there's already a product on the market, there will be
> more products on the market soon, but it can't be that you can
> not get the right information now and in the next year because
> the deals are secret, new secret deals have to be made, patent
> applications are still running and research continues.


Don't get me wrong.  My comment was principally concerned with requests for
John to talk about future plans.  We all know that the Nanochromes are one
ink formulation designed by the Infu6/Futures team, perhaps an unusual
situation in which that is known.  But it is primarily up to InkVillage to
support it and they won't necessarily want John commenting on it.  I think
we forget that it's a bit of a unique situation to have access to the
inventor, principally as a result of his passion for what he's doing.  But
InkVillage have bought the rights in private contract to produce and market
this formulation as their own.  So only with their permission can John
appropriately add comment on their product.  With regards to media, I think
he's also said that he's subject to NDAs.  With regards to future products,
I frankly don't think this list or the WF list deserve being provided with
insight.  Maybe John will be more lax on the issue I don't know.  I hope
that if he does comment and their plans change or things are delayed they
don't then get lynched a second time around.