21–30 of 41 posts
I print the end of term maths exams. And handouts we want to discuss and annotate with comments.
Paper is an unbeatable technological medium for some things.
Problems arise when dismissive techno-neophile administrators fail to maintain the printers. So I keep some spare toner aside for an invincible 2005 Canon desktop laser hidden in a lab.
Based on my time working university IT, yes. And they all insist on having their own, grant-purchased printer in their lab on the network, supported by you.
Based on my time working university IT, yes. And they all insist on having their own, grant-purchased printer in their lab on the network, supported by you.
To some extent we can support them ourselves (as I do with my Canon). It can can be easily set with an IP/hostname and "just works". When it's not in use, it's unplugged. The main support issues are probably physical, right? Newer printers tend to break too easily. And yes, some academics are too dumb to fix a paper jam or change a toner cartridge. Hasn't it always been so?
Not having to walk 30 feet down the hall to the shared copier/printer on every floor to retrieve your print.
Based on my time working university IT, yes. And they all insist on having their own, grant-purchased printer in their lab on the network, supported by you.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
To some extent we can support them ourselves (as I do with my Canon). It can can be easily set with an IP/hostname and "just works". When it's not in use, it's unplugged. The main support issues are probably physical, right? Newer printers tend to break too easily. And yes, some academics are too dumb to fix a paper jam or change a toner cartridge. Hasn't it always been so?
To a certain extent, you are correct that the physical support like jams and toner replacement was typically handled by the lab. However it still meant having 30 printers, all of them of different makes and models and firmware versions on the network. Thirty ethernet runs having to be patched in, and 30 more ports on the switch lit up, and 30 more static IP leases doled out. All of that is relatively minor on its own…
I'd rather walk 30 feet to a printer that prints at better quality, can staple, can print 5x or 10x as fast, doesn't make noise next to my desk, and can be loaded with 5 reams of paper instead of 0.5 reams.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
To some extent we can support them ourselves (as I do with my Canon). It can can be easily set with an IP/hostname and "just works". When it's not in use, it's unplugged. The main support issues are probably physical, right? Newer printers tend to break too easily. And yes, some academics are too dumb to fix a paper jam or change a toner cartridge. Hasn't it always been so?
To a certain extent, you are correct that the physical support like jams and toner replacement was typically handled by the lab. However it still meant having 30 printers, all of them of different makes and models and firmware versions on the network. Thirty ethernet runs having to be patched in, and 30 more ports on the switch lit up, and 30 more static IP leases doled out. All of that is relatively minor on its own…
A common setup is to have shared printers for high volume things like exams and additionally have low volume printers per group.
> 30 printers all different
Have you tried endorsing certain models? Most researchers don't want to spend time picking out printers and will just get a random one. If you suggest one, they will probably just agree.