Terms Of Endearment

In the world of paper, regarding the direction of the text, there are two sets of names. The names given by the manufacturer, and the names used by the printer. The printer is the closest to the end user, so it would seem appropriate the end user uses the printer’s terms. Unfortunately, sales reps, who buy from the manufacturer, and sell to the end user, tend to use both sets of terms interchangeably, confusing the end user in the process. They use the printer’s terms when it involves paper, tabs, etc, but use the manufacturer’s terms when envelopes are involved.

The manufacturers name the two directions, catalog and booklet. Why? Because catalogs are vertical, and booklets are horizontal. Neither one would work in the other scenario. The one to name them looked at his company catalog, and thought, there it it is. As for the other direction, he looked around the office, so the calendar on the wall, and thought, there it is. (On copiers, when deciding for printing purposes, booklet is also called calendar.)

The next line are the wholesalers who didn't give a crap what it's called. They're middlemen selling in bulk. Who gives a crap about that.

Next up, the retailers, as in, Sales; on the retail front, as well as in the corporate account setting (in bulk). It should also be noted that the retailer with the highest usage and bulk user, are the print shops, in retail and the corporate setting. Unfortunately, this is where the problem begins. As the end user, we are used to what the printers use as terms. After all, we as the end user, are using it for printing purposes. So it would only seem logical to use the printers' terms, rather then the manufacturer's terms, which mean nothing to us. Somewhere between the manufacturer and the wholesaler, print shops, who make up the biggest buyers, in bulk no less, decided the terms created by the manufacturer, only worked for the manufacturer, and didn't properly describe the directions in question, and created their own.

Some printer, way back when, looked at photos, and thought, most are vertical, let's call it portrait, based on photographs being portraits. But what about the other direction? One would think pictures of skylines, mountain ranges, grass ranges, would be better received it were turned sideways, getting in more of the landscape. Wait. That's it. Landscape. Portrait and landscape.

So we, as the end users, embraced the printer's terms as more appropriate. Portrait and landscape. The problem here is, sales reps sell to us end users. Sales reps contribute to the problem. Why? Because when they sell to end users, if it involves printing (paper, tabs, etc), they use printer's terms (portrait/landscape), but when the product being sold is envelopes, they use the manufacturer's terms (catalog/booklet). We, as the end users, only know the printer's terms. We have no clue what the manufacturers use as terms. But at the same time, I think at this point, it should be expected that the sales reps, who use both printer's and manufacturer's terms, interchangeably, it would be in the best interest of the sales reps to pick one, preferable the printer's terms, which is what the end users are most familiar with. Attention sales reps: when speaking size directions, convert it in your head before speaking with the end users. We don't give a crap what the manufacturers call it. They are alone in that respect, and the only terms that matter, are the terms used by printers, that we, as the end users, USE.