Quote Originally Posted by Albacore View Post
There are many printers that try to make it hard for you [...] asked for an AI file at a certain version which would include the profile but I refuse to use these printers.
Albacore, I have to agree with you. A printer should ideally work around your specifications and needs.
In this day and age, everyone should be able to submit in PDF/X without problems to anywhere around the globe to receive exact color reproduction.

In the tender i'm sending out to printers, i'm specifying the file format I will submit - PDF/X always worked, with all text converted to shapes ("outlined" as they call it), directly exported from Xara.

I had two cases which specifically asked for an .AI, which i created by saving a PDF/X from Xara and imported it into Illustrator and saved it back as an .AI.

Usually when they ask what software i'm working with i'm replying by saying they will receive a high resolution PDF/X file with all fonts embedded, and usually they stop asking then. I try not don't mention xara first. The reason for this is printer companies panic if they hear of software they never heard of and assume to receive a 72dpi 16 color gif-file (or worse) for reproduction I can't blame them, some people send some low res jpg's and assume to receive a high gloss quality print results.