A B767 CREW DEPARTS STATION WITH ELECTRONIC DISPATCH RELEASE UNSIGNED.

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THE CREW VAN FROM THE LAYOVER HOTEL TO THE ARPT WOULD NOT START. WE TOOK A TAXI. UPON ARR AT THE ARPT; WE WERE SHORT ON TIME; SO I CHOSE TO PERFORM FLT PLANNING IN THE DISPATCH ROOM NEAR OUR DEP GATE. THE COMPUTER FROZE UP AND I HAD TO RE-BOOT IT. THE RE-BOOT TOOK A FEW MINS; PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE ARCHAIC HARDWARE AND OPERATING SYS. WHEN THE COMPUTER WAS FINALLY BACK UP; I PRINTED ALL FLT PAPERS. THE PAPERS WOULD NOT PRINT. I RE-ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY LEFT THERE TO PROCEED TO THE ACFT (EVEN LATER NOW) TO PRINT THE PAPERS ON THE COCKPIT PRINTER. PRINTING ON THE COCKPIT PRINTER IS A LAST RESORT; BECAUSE IT MAKES THE ACARS UNUSABLE FOR ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS FOR APPROX 20 MINS. WHEN THE FIRST FLT PLAN PRINTED; I SAW THAT THE DISPATCHER HAD PLANNED US WITH MUCH MORE FUEL THAN I CONSIDERED NECESSARY. I CALLED THE DISPATCHER FROM MY CELL AND WE AGREED TO A LOWER FUEL. THE ACARS PRINTER WAS STILL SLOWLY PRINTING. I WANTED A FULL BRIEF WITH THE 9 FLT ATTENDANTS. I REQUESTED THE RELEASED REQUEST FOR OUR FLT INTO THE ACARS; AS WELL AS CURRENT RELEASE AND TIME. I WENT TO BRIEF WITH THE CABIN CREW. I CAME BACK TO THE ACARS TO FIND THE MESSAGES 'RELEASE #1 NOT SIGNED' AND 'ERR: NO FLT PLAN STORED -- CALL DISPATCH.' I ASCERTAINED FROM THE FIRST MESSAGE THAT MY RELEASE WAS CURRENT AND AS FOR THE SECOND MESSAGE; I REALIZED MY ERROR WAS THAT TODAY WE WERE USING FLT #YYY AND I RE-REQUESTED THE RELEASE. A PAX CARRYING FIREARM CAME INTO THE COCKPIT TO INTRODUCE HERSELF. I SPOKE WITH HER AND INTRODUCED HER TO THE PURSER. I ASKED THE FO TO CALL OPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUELER WAS AWARE OF THE DECREASE IN FUEL LOAD. THE ACARS RELEASE WAS WAITING FOR ME AND I TYPED IN ZZZ ON PAGE 2 AND SENT THE MESSAGE. I WAS CONDUCTING A PREDEP BRIEFING WITH THE FO WHEN A GENTLEMAN CAME INTO THE COCKPIT. HE WAS ALSO CARRYING A FIREARM. I INTRODUCED HIM TO THE PURSER AND MADE SURE THAT EACH 'PCFA' WAS AWARE OF EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE. I CONTINUED THE BRIEFING AND WAS INTERRUPTED BY A RAMP WORKER ON HEADSET ASKING TO DISCONNECT EXTERNAL PWR. AT THIS TIME THE ACARS WAS AGAIN TIED UP PRINTING RELEASE #2 FLT PLAN WITH THE FUEL LOAD THAT WAS AGREED UPON. THE REMARK; 'RELEASE #2 AMEND FUEL PER CAPT AGREEMENT' WAS PRINTED ON THIS FLT PLAN. THE CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVE CAME INTO THE COCKPIT ASKING TO CLOSE THE DOOR. WE DEPARTED. 1/2 WAY INTO THE FLT; THE DISPATCHER ASKED ME TO VALIDATE THE RELEASE. THIS WAS CONFUSING SINCE I HAD ACCOMPLISHED THIS TASK BEFORE DEP. I QUERIED ACARS FOR RELEASE STATUS AND THE REPLY WAS 'RELEASE #2 NOT SIGNED.' I RELAYED MY INFO TO THE DISPATCHER AND HE VALIDATED THE RELEASE. IN SUMMARY; ALTHOUGH IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE RELEASE FOR THE FLT HAD NOT BEEN VALIDATED PRIOR TO DEP; I FEEL THAT THE 'INTENT' OF THE RELEASE PROCESS WAS COMPLETELY FULFILLED. THAT IS; I SPOKE PERSONALLY WITH THE DISPATCHER ABOUT THE FUEL AND ROUTING. I ALSO DID A VERY THOROUGH WX AND MAINT REVIEW FOR THE FLT. FURTHER; I DID VALIDATE THE RELEASE IN THE ACARS BY ENTERING MY DOMICILE ZZZ ON THE ACARS PAGE AND HITTING 'SEND.'