That's nitpicking
It's clearly stated that they accept anything, as long as the profile is embedded.
But NOT the output profile,
that's the point! The text provided states:
Under no circumstances should you convert to our printing profile or embed it in your files.A customer is provided a profile for soft proofing they
can't use to convert. That's silly. It's not nitpicking. Do you believe that all rendering intents are the same, that image A may output better with RI A vs. RI B or even C? Or that an ICC profile know anything about color in context? What RI does the lab force on their customers and which are they supposed to use to soft proof?
This is a seriously silly, half backed color management workflow to be kind. IF as you suggest, the profiles define output behavior, that output behavior is consistent, then a customer
should be able to select any RI from the profile provided for soft proofing and send that in for output. Clearly the lab states that's not allowed.
Again, this is aimed at average users with little prior knowledge and it must be read as such, not as a treatise on ultimate color management practices. If that was their aim, it wouldn't be understandable to the majority of their customers, and they'd lose business.
That's your assumption of all customers and sorry, I'm going to suggest it's rubbish. The lab
could provide output profiles a more savvy customers
could apply to his data and the lab could output the RGB numbers as is. Or provide the "
just send us sRGB (or Adobe RGB (1998)) for the so called dumb, average customer base you suggest involves all customers. The lab(s) don't proved that option. One did, it's gone but the facts are, it's entirely possible to provide both options. The facts are, these labs are more interested in pushing files through their systems and providing an illusion that they are color managed.
Are you really suggesting that a customer who can setup a soft proof with the profiles provided he can't fully use, cannot go one step farther and use the
Convert to Profile command and then "
Save As..."? Of course that customer could with little more education and better, select the rendering intent he visually prefers.