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January 20, 2009
Gerber Scientific Products is pleased to announce GERBER OMEGA™ 3.0 software. Shipments will begin on February 23, 2009. OMEGA 3.0 will become the standard software for new seats of software and will be available as an upgrade from previous versions. Customers should contact their authorized Gerber Distributor for purchase information.

“OMEGA 3.0 software is actually pretty unusual software because it includes many fantastic new features, but it is actually easier and more intuitive to use. It has an “anti-learning curve!”” states Dana Goodale, Director of Software Solutions at Gerber Scientific Products. “New users will be able to use more features of OMEGA more quickly, and customers who upgrade from previous versions will immediately see the benefits and time savings of the new features,” Goodale continues.
Some of the new features of OMEGA 3.0 are listed below:

• ReAction, which makes software features work together in an integrated manner;
• New Image Menu effects offer automatic image adjustments and special effects for images in OMEGA;
• Barcoding capabilities with dozens of 1D and 2D barcode symbologies;
• A new soft shadow feature called Convert to Image;
• An improved version of the Choke/Spread GERBER EDGE color registration software tool;
• New medial axis and perspective shadow vector effects tools;
• Workflow improvements to the GSP Plot output program;
• Improved integration and retention of color with text entry and general design creation and editing;
• Dozens of additional features, enhancements and improvements.
• All OMEGA 3.0 components install from a single DVD, or can be downloaded from www.gspinc.com

“The new OMEGA 3.0 ReAction capability has been integrated into new and existing features in Composer. For example, if a user creates a line of text, with an outline, shadow and a distortion wave, any of the functions can be edited and the edits automatically apply to all the other results,” Goodale says. “Even basic moving and sizing operations are tracked better and can save users appreciable design time,” Goodale summarizes.

“In addition to the design and usage improvements added to OMEGA 3.0, it also has improved abilities to create labels and decals,” Goodale states. We have added barcoding capabilities with variable data, and improved output capabilities for finishing the labels and decals.”
“We have also improved our exporting of EPS files for use with inkjet RIPs such as ONYX®. We can export spot colors as named colors, RGB, or CMYK. Plus we can export cut data as a named layer, as a named stroke color, or as a named fill color to accommodate several different RIP workflows,” Goodale continues.

OMEGA information is available on the GSP® website (www.gspinc.com). PDF files, images and even
multimedia screen presentations of new features and projects using new and existing features are all available on the site.

Customer reactions to OMEGA 3.0 have been very positive through the beta testing period. Several customer quotes are listed below:

“I have been working quite a bit with the Medial Axis feature and love it more each time! I am also using the new improved Choke/Spread feature. It seems VERY much improved!!! The Re-Action feature is a great addition also!!! Keep up the good work and pass on my compliments!!! The software has become so reliable and easy to use that it is very difficult to find ways to improve it. Thanks for such a great product and thanks for allowing me to test!”
-Elwood R. Kinder III, Kinder Signs, Sikeston, MO

“I just installed 3.0 and would like to say WOW. I tried the image options and am very impressed. Great addition to the software! I am on page one of the "What's New" document and just wanted to tell you how great the stuff is! I love the ReAction! I can't count the number of times I've had a ton of special effects on copy and needed to make a change. 3.0 is like Christmas morning and is very exciting.”
- Marlene Louise Young, Twin State Signs, Essex, VT

“3.0 includes some really good features. A lot of the small changes have made a big difference. It’s amazing that all the functions work together so well. I really like that I don’t have to go back and redo all the changes. Choke spread is much better. It is much more intuitive now. Now I don’t have to use workarounds. It recognizes what you are trying to tell it to do. My goodness, even if it saves you a half an hour to an hour a day that is a huge time savings in your pocket. You guys really did your homework with this release. Great Job!”
- Karen Souza, Cranberry Signcraft, Mattapoisett, MA

“One of my favourite new features is the "ReAction" tree, which enables me to create and save templates of frequently modified design layouts (outline/shadow/distortion). Previously this required to 'undo' all the various actions, writing down all the various parameters used, changing the text, re-applying all the actions in sequence. Now all is done much more rapidly by just double clicking on the design, choosing what part needs to be altered, and the whole design is re-drawn automatically. Did I mention that this also eliminates errors in repeating the actions? It's also a very useful tool when showing directly to customers what their design will look like - I'm sure everyone has experience the "what would it look like in a different font" scenario (just after you have created multiple outlines/shadows/etc. to embellish the design...and now you have to start all over again). The interactive outline tool takes away the guesswork, so I can create an outline visually without having to enter a value in the outline dialog box and then going back to it to make changes until the desired effect is achieved. This makes a big impact on time as outlines are used quite often. Regarding the Medial Axis tool, I have done quite a few designs in the past with the same effect, but these required to be done by hand in Composer - creating all the segments one at a time. Now it's much much easier & faster, not to mention more accurate. Also, it works just as well with script fonts, where before I could not do scripts as they were too complex to design by hand. I always use choke & spread, and now with the ability to do multiple colours at the same time to me represents a huge time saving.”
-George Zerbino, Sign Graphics, Kent, United Kingdom

“WELL DONE! It's nice to see your guys still listen.”
- Andrew Fleming, McMordie Bros, Belfast Ireland

 

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