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Solve hassles on the production

XOR (| eks | oʊ | ɑːr |) is a PDF viewer app (Mac/Windows) that compares two PDFs (before and after correction) in real time.

XOR

Real time PDF comparison viewer

¥2,000 (tax included) per month
(subscription)

XOR solves the following problems and challenges in print production.

Problems in production
I regretted submitting it with missing the correction error.

It's embarrassing when you submit a work and the client points out a mistake that you should have noticed. Moreover, It may also disappoint the customer.

However, it is difficult to notice if there is a change that is not ordered in the DTP manuscript.

But with XOR, you can easily find all the modification points.

I got the client's approval and printed it. However, I was held responsible for a mistake that was later found.

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However, it is difficult to control the power balance between the ordering side and the receiving side. Therefore, the best way to deal with this is to prevent mistakes from spilling out on the production side.

Since XOR is a subscription offering at 2,000 yen per month (tax included), your company can install it for your entire production staff. This allows everyone to compare PDFs to their heart's content at any time, reducing the chance of mistakes being missed.

I haven't earned the trust of my clients.

If the PDFs you submit have missing corrections or unnecessary changes, you will lose the trust of your clients.

With XOR, you can export a PDF that proves "I didn't make any extra changes anywhere except where you ordered to make changes. If you attach that to your submission, you can easily gain the client's trust. Also, if you check the PDF before submitting, you will notice any unnecessary changes.

I want to make the proofreading process easier.

Proofreading requires a high level of concentration and skill, and it takes time. You will want to do it more efficiently.

Some kind of PDF comparison app can help you identify what has been changed and minimize the proofreading process.

And XOR is probably the easiest PDF comparison app to install, easy to use, and swift!

Currently, I'm spending too much time proofreading.

You can standardize the process of finding the changes and checking them against the DTP manuscript to make sure they are correct.

With XOR, you can easily find all the changes and reduce the time taken for proofreading.

I want to reduce the cost of production.

By implementing XOR for the entire production staff and reducing the number of "re-correct," you can reduce production period and save money.

If the PDF of the work created by the DTP operator is found to have any omissions or unnecessary changes, the editor has to create a new DTP manuscript, ask the operator to re-correct it, and wait for it to be finished. This means a second round of DTP production cycle. And if there is a mistake, a third cycle is required, prolonging the turnaround time and increasing the cost.

If XOR can be installed on the operator's PC and used at any time, the operator can notice mistakes and prevent unnecessary cycles from occurring. If XOR is also installed on the editor's PC, the efficiency of proofreading will be improved.

A PDF comparison app of the type that shares a USB dongle for copy protection may cause you to wait to use the app. Nevertheless, if you don't use the app because you are hesitant or can't wait, the possibility of missing unnecessary changes increases.

XOR is a subscription offering for 2,000 yen per month (tax included), so you can install it for your entire production staff.

It's hard to keep track of all the changes.

It is unclear how many changes exist between the before and after PDFs, which may not be the same as the number of correction orders in the DTP manuscript. It is possible that changes were made where there was no corrective order, or that the corrective order was ignored.

With XOR, it is easy to find out all the changes, with or without correction orders

I'm sick of checking parts of the DTP document that aren't indicated in the instructions.

It is annoying to have to check to see if changes have occurred that are unrelated to the correction order.

If you check carefully, you might miss something. You might also spend a lot of time and not find anything.

With XOR, it is easy to find out all the changes, with or without correction orders

A certain DTP operator tends to make unnecessary changes.

In DTP work, it is an ironclad rule not to touch any part of the document that does not have correction orders. However, in the process of correction, it is often necessary to temporarily move neighboring elements. And if you forget to move them back after the correction, they will remain as unnecessary changes. Moreover, the DTP operator may overlook it because they tend to think that the correction was done correctly.

If XOR is introduced to the DTP operator's machine, an objective viewpoint can be obtained. And the operator's own self-checking accuracy will be improved.

A certain DTP operator's self-check is lax.

DTP operators tend to be lax in self-checking the results of their own work.

If XOR is introduced to the DTP operator's machine, an objective viewpoint can be obtained. And the operator's own self-checking accuracy will be improved.

The accuracy and speed of proofreading may vary from person to person.

Especially for inexperienced staff, it is easy to miss even the most common mistakes.

Therefore, it is a good way to install XOR on all the staff's machine. If everyone can use it at any time, they can improve their proofreading accuracy.

It is difficult to print out proofreading papers while working from home.

It may be difficult to print out proof paper when working from home, unlike in the office. Even if you could, it would be costly (in Japan, convenience store printing costs 50 yen per A4/B4 color paper).

Therefore, proofreading should be done on a PDF basis as much as possible without paper.

XOR can be used at work or at home with the same account, and it helps you with PDF-based proofreading.

I can't ask others to double-check when I'm working from home.

There are two types of comparison methods in XOR as follows. You can double-check by yourself.

  • Overlapped pages
  • Blink pages
Inconvenience of the adopted PDF comparison application
Too expensive to buy more

There is a strong need to install multiple licenses of PDF comparison applications to work in parallel, but it may be difficult to buy more expensive applications.

XOR is offered on a monthly subscription basis for 2,000 yen (tax included), which will allow you to install it for your entire production staff.

Difficult to use

Some PDF comparison applications require you to adjust the comparison options to match the features of the PDFs to be compared.

However, it is often difficult to determine whether the PDF you are comparing is text-based or image-based, and if it is a booklet, the structure of each page will be different.

XOR does not have a comparison option. Just press the space key to display the comparison results.

Reported comparative results are difficult to understand

The clarity of the comparison results affects the work efficiency and accuracy of the proofreading.

The comparison results of XOR are intuitive for everyone. There is no need to master how to read or understand them.

This is because XOR's "Overlapped pages" mimics the state of a stack of two papers on a tracing table, lit from below. And the "Blink pages" is clear for everyone because it mimics real world old techniques that called "Aori" or "Pera Pera" using proof paper.

Only one person can use it at a time

Many PDF comparison apps adopt a USB dongle for copy protection. The reason for this is that if pirated copies are made available, the development companies will lose their income. It is an unavoidable measure. However, the application can only be used on a PC with a USB dongle attached, so there will be a waiting list of users.

XOR is a subscription offering for 2,000 yen per month (tax included), so you can install it for your entire staff and everyone can use it as much as they wish, whenever they need it.

The number of staff allowed to use it is limited

PDF comparison applications that adopt a USB dongle for copy protection can only be used by one person at a time. For this reason, priority is given to the use of veteran editors who work on important projects in the department. Younger staff, DTP operators, and outsourced staff may not be allowed to use it as easily.

XOR is a subscription offering for 2,000 yen per month (tax included), so you can install it for your entire staff and everyone can use it as much as they wish, whenever they need it.

Cannot be used while working from home

XOR does not adopt a USB dongle for copy protection, and the same account can be used both at work and at home. So when an emergency arises, you may not have to go to your office on holiday or cancel a planned trip for compare PDFs.

I'm looking for a PDF comparison app that is more suitable for working from home.

Even if the corona pandemic is contained, more worker will want to work from home.

「If you can switch to working from home just when you can't come to the office, it will be advantageous for you to carry out your work. For example, if your child has a fever, the commuter train stops, or you break your leg and can't go out.

XOR does not have a USB dongle for copy protection, and the same account can be used at office or home.

Long wait for comparison results.

Many PDF comparison applications take a long time to display the results after starting the comparison. This is because they adopt the batch processing to look for differences.

The time required depends on the number of pages and the density of the content of the PDFs to be compared, so for large PDFs, you may have to wait several minutes or more than 10 minutes.

There is almost no waiting time for XOR. Just press the space key and the comparison result will be displayed immediately. This is a so-called real-time comparison.

Operation is too slow

PDF comparison apps that analyze and compare two PDFs tend to be slower because of the complex processing.

XOR runs lighter.

Omission of comparison occurs

In a PDF comparison application that analyzes and matches two PDFs, the pairing of elements will not succeed depending on the data structure of the PDFs.

And sometimes there are comparison omissions. It is unpredictable in what cases comparison omissions will occur.

False detection of differences (even unchanged parts are reported as "changed")

In a PDF comparison application that analyzes and matches two PDFs, the pairing of elements will not succeed depending on the data structure of the PDFs.

And sometimes they report that something has been "changed" when it has not. There is no way to predict when a false positive will occur.

Moreover, it is a tedious task to make sure that there is really no difference between a pair of seemingly identical pages.

XOR reports the differences visually, so the changes are apparent.

Expensive upgrade fees

There is always no upgrade fee for XOR.

Usage of the software tend to change by the upgrade

XOR has a simple functional structure, so the usage will be almost the same after the upgrade.

When I lost my USB dongle, A serious liability issue has occurred.

XOR does not adopt a USB dongle for license management.

The XOR license is tied to an individual Apple ID or Microsoft account.

Thoughts of a Freelance Producer
I want to improve my proofreading skills

A major issue for freelance producers who complete their work alone is quality.

XOR gives you an objective perspective and allows you to discover correction errors that you might have overlooked on your own.

I need an inexpensive PDF comparison app

PDF comparison applications are often beneficial but expensive, so it may be difficult for individuals to get a hold of them.

With XOR, you can use it for a monthly subscription of 2,000 yen (tax included). And the first month is a free trial period.

I can't make a big investment. I don't know how long I'll be in the production work

You can unsubscribe the XOR if you no longer need it. Moreover, the first month is a free trial period.

I want to use it for a limited period

With XOR, you can unsubscribe for the period you don't need it. You are also free to subscribe again.

I need a PDF comparison app that can be used by family members who are not production professionals

Family members are also an important asset to a free lance producer.

XOR is so easy to use that even elementary school children will be able to master it without difficulty. In fact, they may even enjoy playing a game of "find the mistakes" to find all the differences.

It is also for the children themselves. This is because children who develop the habit of helping others are more likely to be successful in society in the future.

Thoughts of the Production Orderer
I want you to always submit accurate correction results

You may be disappointed if the PDF submitted by the producer contains omitted corrections or unnecessary changes. The time it takes for the PDF to be submitted again is time that should not have been spent.

Therefore, you should require the producer to attach a PDF exported with the XOR "Export both PDFs overlapped" when submitting. This PDF proves that "nothing has been changed except for the ordered changes", so if there are any unnecessary changes, the creator can be expected to notice them when the PDF is exported.

We want to proofread it carefully ourselves.

Even if you are in the position of placing a production order, you may want to make sure that the proofreading PDFs you received.

However, visual proofreading is time-consuming and inefficient, so it is a good way to adopt a PDF comparison application.

XOR is a PDF comparison application that is inexpensive and easy to use.

Request to distributors
Please apply to be a distributor of XOR

We are looking for a distributor for XOR.

We often get inquiries from production companies asking for an invoice because they want to signe up for multiple licenses of XOR and want to pay annually. But the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store do not support such payments.

In addition, some print production companies are finding it difficult to use the volume license management tools provided by Apple and Microsoft.

So we are looking for an agency that can handle subscription contracts on behalf of our clients and invoice them for their fees on top of the subscription cost.

For example, if you receive a request from a production company that needs 10 licenses, you can make a subscription agreement on their behalf. If so. (2,000 yen + commission) x 10 users x 12 months invoice every year. We will leave it to you to decide the amount of commission and how to handle any increase or decrease in the number of accounts in the middle of the contract.

To prove that
“I didn’t change anything extra.”

We have added “Overlapping Left and Right PDF Export” to XOR for Mac.

export quality certification PDF
The watermark display, which used to be a feature only for screen display, can now be drawn on PDFs.

The exported PDF can be used as a proof that “nothing has been changed except for the parts that were requested to be corrected” when submitting the proof to the client.

Compare two PDFs
in real time

XOR is a viewer app (Mac/Windows) that compares two PDFs (before and after correction) in real time.

You won’t have to wait for the comparison results to appear. XOR shows you the results as soon as you start the comparison.

You can see the differences in two ways.

  • Overlap view
    Transparent way (red and blue are differences)
  • Blink view
    Flip way (the blinking part is the difference)

You can see the real-time comparison in action in the video “How to use XOR (Japanese)”.

Trial

XOR has a one month free trial period. You can download and try it from either store.

Download_on_the_Mac_App_Store_Badge_en
Microsoft Store Badge-en

XOR for Windows asks for a subscription agreement when you first launch the app. But if you cancel immediately, you can still try it for the full duration. Of course, you won’t be charged for it.

Purpose

In print production, editors and operators repeatedly revise and proofread their work to achieve completion.

XOR is ideal for the following verification tasks in proofreading.

  • What has changed?
  • Is that change the right fix?
  • Do you have any missing corrections?
  • Are there any unnecessary changes mixed in?

Comparing printouts of proofs and looking for changes can be a daunting task. It requires a high level of skill and concentration. And a lot of time.

But you can quickly identify all the changes in two PDFs by using XOR. That means you can understand the pages and areas of the page that haven’t been changed. You can save time on proofreading, by excluding them from the target of confirmation.

Subscription

XOR is offered on a subscription basis for 2,000 yen per month (*). Therefore, companies can review the number of subscriptions as the number of production staff increases or decreases, and there is no waste. Therefore, the company can optimize the number of contracts as the number of production staff increases or decreases to avoid waste.

* Prices outside the Japanese store are determined by the exchange rate.

500 yen coin x 4

No USB dongle required

XOR does not have a USB dongle to manage licenses.

You can use the same account (Apple ID or Microsoft account) with a single license at work, at home or on the road. This makes XOR ideal for remote work.

With XOR in place, you won’t have to go to the office when you have a holiday emergency. And you won’t have to cancel your trip.

ノマドワーカーのイラスト

Wait time is a cost

Latency is a cost in your business.

For example, if you’re using some PDF comparison app that required USB dongle, you might have to wait your turn to use the app.

Or when you wait until the DTP is finished, then do the proofreading at night, it’s a double cost to the company by the waiting time and overtime. Moreover, you’ll come home late.

But with XOR, you can reduce those costs. That app can be deployed for the entire staff, run speedy, and can be used outside of the office.

コスト圧縮

Ease to use > Functions

Simple is best. The ease of use sometimes outweighs the full range of features!

With XOR, you don’t need to adjust comparison settings for each PDF feature you want to compare. Plus, you get an intuitive understanding of the comparison results. You don’t need to wade through difficult reports.

And you’ll get a lot of achievements by using the simple and light app rather than use a multifunctional app.

使い勝手は機能に勝る

Never miss a difference

XOR finds all differences that recognizable by eyes between the two PDFs by visually comparing them.

In the type of PDF comparison app that analyzes and matches two PDFs, the comparison algorithm may miss the differences when the PDF contains unexpected changes.

ルーペ

Mac & Windows

XOR has versions of Mac and Windows. Please click on the following icons. You can check the respective app descriptions.

macOS series Microsoft Windows 10
for Mac for Windows

Tips

Click on the following icon. You will find tips on using XOR (in Japanese).

App Icon with "Tips"

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