Think customer-provided files are scary now??? Just wait...

[thewood]

Well, whining will not get us anywhere.
We try to be all-things to all people ( formats)..so what is the solution?
I would suggest a limited number of formats that we readily use. If the artwork is not supplied in this format then the client MUST expect to pay extra for conversion/re-creation.

I already do this. But I still prefer to work form scratch rather than replicate the client's Word document.

So can we come to a consensus as to what formats are acceptable from a client? Remember we are trying to keep this as a "short-list".
I suggest:
.ai
.psd
.cdr
.pdf

Don't forget .eps Ken! Of course, the content of these files varies so much that each file must be judged on a case-by-case basis. For example, I've had clients ask in what format I need their logo. After deciding on a pdf, I receive a pdf containing a 72 ppi raster image. Or my personal favorite. We do printing for a national copy/print store. I asked the sales guy to send me a pdf of the file he needs printed. He sends me a pdf containing a scan of a business card with pencilled-in notes to the side!

 

[Techman]

This is adobe's steps towards online subscription software.
That is where you pay a yearly fee, and have a stub of the software on your machine. The rest of that package remains at their servers. Then you get online and do your work. Any disputs with the software vendor results in your being turned off. It will download stubs of features as you need it while you work. The main part of the code will remain on their servers. Why do they love this? This about as hack proff as you get.

The vision is you will get access to software usage just like cable TV. You order "packages" and pay as you go. One model I observed is you pay about $1200 a year for certain office packages with extra charges for ala carte.

 

[Ken]

Yes, I did forget .eps for the short list...thanks.
Educating the clients is the hard part...and why do they need to know our business methods?. I want a sign..it kinda looks like this... perhaps this is the mystique that keeps us going..but as familiarity with formats increases , therefore the "conversion profits" decrease.
Ken