Comments on: Is home printing becoming obsolete?

By: mark casebeer

mark casebeer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:31:24 +0000

I send everything to Mpix. Well not everything, I have a Epson Dash and I print 4×6 photos for my personel family album. I find the printer works great, but you just can’t beat the price and quality on online printing.

By: Bernie X

Bernie X — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:17:56 +0000

Are we in the same blog? 90% of the people here are freelancers … skim the context. The ability to provide proofs and even final prints on demand, from home (without having to meander to a Costo’s, CVS etc and gamble on how a print will come out) is a tangible competitive advantage.

By: terrywhite

terrywhite — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:56:28 +0000

Bernie X, clearly you need a printer. Continue to use one. However, to say that “the majority of the people here”, what are you basing that on? There are photographers here that probably need printers, there are probably designers here that need printers too, but there are also a large number (if not the majority of readers here) that aren’t designers and aren’t photographers. So I never said that NOBODY needs a home printer. I said that home printing for many is becoming less and less necessary due to the way things can be done electronically. That’s it.

Happy printing!

By: Bernie X

Bernie X — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:49:09 +0000

I think a majority of people here represent themselves as freelancers; thus, the work from home perspective. So, from a freelance standpoint, where is assurance in going straight from the screen to an outsource printer?

By: terrywhite

terrywhite — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:31:07 +0000

I never said they wouldn’t. However, not everyone is a print designer and certainly not all print designers work from home which is the focus of the post. “home printing”.

By: Bernie X

Bernie X — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:29:52 +0000

I can’t fathom why print designers would not provide at least one hard copy proof.

By: terrywhite

terrywhite — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:16:03 +0000

If you need to do proof comps, then you need a printer. Not everyone does proof comps.

By: Bernie X

Bernie X — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:14:39 +0000

How does anyone make proofs/comps without a printer?

By: Desktop Printers Inspire Loathing « PRINTERESTING

Desktop Printers Inspire Loathing « PRINTERESTING — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:01:16 +0000

[...] necessity of printing at home; she includes a link to Terry White’s Tech Blog post entitled Is home printing becoming obsolete? This seems unlikely. There’s tremendous potential in mobile digital devices, and also in [...]

By: Raymond

Raymond — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:37:41 +0000

I rarely print but actually wish to print more, talking only photographs here. When I have an image I’m proud of (sadly rare) I enjoy handling it on paper and being able to put it on the wall.

By: Anderson

Anderson — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:35:46 +0000

Boarding passes or event tickets are probably the most frequently printed items theses days. I use to design and print flyers or programs for church and PTA at my daughters’ school but that has declined. My color laser has needed two toner colors replaced for about 9mos and I haven’t had a pressing need to spend the $175.

At work I went all year in 2009 with out printing a single page which is an accomplishment for an IT professional in banking/financial services.

By: terrywhite

terrywhite — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:45:40 +0000

Yep, that’s why I have NeatReceipts and Fujitsu document scanners.

By: Paul Corsa

Paul Corsa — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:30:29 +0000

It is recommended to save tax documents for 7 years, including receipts. Ever look at a thermo printed receipt a year later? Totally useless and faded. So either a scanner or all in one is necessary to preserve documentation. I’d love an Epson printer for larger photo images, but can’t justify the cost.

By: Computer Repair

Computer Repair — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:41:52 +0000

I have found myself ordering prints online. Although my printer offers professional quality and at home convenience, Whenever I print things just don’t turn out as well as sending them in. Every time I print, I am either disappointed, or run out of ink relatively fast. I’m not sure if printing at home is becoming obsolete, for me it never reached a place where it can be considered “becoming Obsolete.”

By: John Dingler

John Dingler — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:35:17 +0000

Hi Terry,
My output is either 12″x 18″ 12pt color glossies ($1ea) or 42″ x say, 65″ for $8/ft for the canvas. I walk across the street, cross the RR tracks, to get both done at CopyMax. I have not had the need to use my new printer that I bought 6 months ago. Life is good for color printing.