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More accurate Print Preview

  (+16, -2)(+16, -2)
(+16, -2)
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against]

The 'Print Preview' function on word processors, etc. should take ink/toner level information from the printer and show what your document will look like based on the current level of ink or toner in the printer. So, if the ink or toner is running out the Print Preview will show a faded and streaky page.
hippo, Nov 08 2005

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       Alternatively, get a Mac.
RovinRobin, Nov 08 2005
  

       //Alternatively, get a Mac.// - Sorry? Do mac's emulate dying or crap printers now? Wow, there's really nothing macs can't do is there? I loooove macs, macs are wonderful, mmmmm.
wagster, Nov 08 2005
  

       Sounds reasonable. My printer dialog already shows me how much ink it admits to having; why not go one step further?
angel, Nov 08 2005
  

       No, [wagster], the MacMillan 5000 Everlasting Cartidge. Compatible with all leading printers except yours.
friendlyfire, Nov 08 2005
  

       I'd settle for a toner cartridge that didn't require a remortgage every time it runs out.
wagster, Nov 08 2005
  

       Printer manufacturers make all their money on the cartridges and have gotten pretty aggressive. My printer is constantly flashing empty long before that's actually the case.
theircompetitor, Nov 08 2005
  

       [+] excellent solution proposed by probably an aggrieved printer user.   

       it would help avoid lot of frustration particularly when one needs 'best' quality print & ends up having few blank or faded patches after losing considerable time in printing.
vedarshi, Nov 08 2005
  

       WYSIWYGFRTT (for real this time).
Shz, Nov 08 2005
  

       //Alternatively, get a Mac.// - Sorry? Do mac's emulate dying or crap printers now?   

       No, wagster, but can anyone seriously expect decent results in the graphics/ printing area from Windows?   

       From what I've seen it does such a bad job, an ink/toner level 'view' would be refinement beyond the capability of the Windows system to benefit from -- so the first step down this road is, get a Mac.   

       In any case, this feature would just be exploited by the manufacturers to tell us even sooner that we need a new toner we don't really need.
RovinRobin, Nov 08 2005
  

       Yeah, the first step down the road to way overpaying for a computer. Any machine properly equipped will do just fine representing any visualization, graphic or otherwise.   

       The "exploitation" angle is very tired, too.   

       In any case, yes, reality based print preview would be a nice feature. It'd be really nice if it could show you a magnified inset of what a printed character or detail will look like, including the ink or toner behavior on the particular paper stock loaded. Dot gain and all that....
bristolz, Nov 08 2005
  

       Entirely unclear as to the advantages of this, except that now your screen is blotchy and/or streaky, as well as your printer.   

       Although it might be interesting as a Photoshop filter plug-in. Certainly screen printing has an interesting effect as the ink runs out, likewise paint brushes (which I think Photoshop already does). So it could be useful for budding artists.
DrCurry, Nov 08 2005
  

       If it's entirely unclear, then your printer needs servicing.
bristolz, Nov 08 2005
  

       bristolz: ;P
DrCurry, Nov 08 2005
  

       In fact there's a whole slew of possible "better printer feedback" functions which are vaguely similar to this. For example, a combined printer/scanner could scan the top page in the printer tray and send the image to the Print Preview function. Thus, the Print Preview would show what your document looks like on the actual paper (coloured, letterhead, or whatever) that's actually in the printer. This would at least stop the "getting letterhead paper the wrong way round" mistake.
hippo, Nov 09 2005
  

       If lots of people have been using the printer recently, there should also be a warning that some of your pages might be missing / turned upside down by the time you get to the printer.
phundug, Jan 21 2009
  

       [+]I'd like to know where the smudges will show up if I use the wrong kind of paper for the settings that I put in. I've made many messes from having excess ink on the page as a result of forgetting to switch back and forth between regular and photo paper.
Jscotty, Jan 21 2009
  


 

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