MASSIVE BITCH

Ok, I try to be as positive as I can be on my blog. But there's something I just have to get off my chest....

When ever I deal with companies from across the pond (read that as Europe) and I download some rulebook or actually purchase a rulebook from a European country, it's in A4 Lettersize instead of being offered in both A4 AND North American Letter Size (8.5 x 11).

This means that when I print the document, the tops and bottoms are cut off, and if you select "fit to paper" then it comes out looking like shit on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.

Now I'm not here to state which is better, I really don't care. Honestly I don't. I had absolutely no voice in what the United States of America chose as it's paper format for business. And I had no voice in what the European Union chose as its standard for paper. But the reality of the situation is that there are two standards out there and companies need to support both.

Now I'm going to pick on Pulp City and Rackham for a second. They recently put up their rules for free as does Rackham. Both are European companies and both only offer A4 as their paper size.

Now lets look at Pulp Figures. They offer their rules for free too, with one HUGE difference. They offer their rules in BOTH A4 and North American Letter sizes. You would think that if a small shop like Pulp Figures could do it that Rackham (a much larger company) would be able to do it as well. Pulp City, being the new kids on the block I will cut some slack, but you would think that if they were going to be noticed that they would have offered something different.

Now why is this such a pain in the ass to me? Walk into an Office Depot or even a small family run office supply business and ask for A4 paper. Go on, I'll wait. Notice the blank stare you got at Office Depot? Did you like the rude comment from the family owned office supply about being a "Frog Lover"? WTF?!? I hate frogs legs. How the hell does needing A4 paper make me want to copulate with a frog?!?

Now you would think with the new cool global economy that this shit would be a thing of the past, and that everyone would offer what the other guy has. But that is not the case. At least in Seattle. I would have thought that where I live in South King County, with it's huge imagrant population that more people would want A4 size paper and that the local businesses would supply it. I often wonder what the Europeans think when American companies offer stuff in just the North American Letter size? It probably doesn't matter because A4 is bigger and the 8.5 x 11 page fits within the A4 paper, so all the Europeans have to deal with is some white borders on each page. A much better option than walking away from the printer shaking me head and then tossing the printed material into the recycle bin.

I wish companies would realize their markets and post their PDF's accordingly.

'Nuff Said.