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FALL 2008—MEDIA CENTER ACCEPTING ENTRÉE PLUS
SEVEN STEPS TOWARD HASSLE-FREE PRINTING
1. Is it necessary?
Do you really need to print long text documents off the web or coursetools or can you find them again online when you need them? Do you need to print each revision stage of a model or document? To get especially large images on the wall, does it make sense to use a projector instead?
2. Know your device options
Choose the right printer for the job. Think about availability, cost, paper size and type, etc. Learn to monitor status over the network. Configure your machine with more than one printing option.
3. File formats and conversions
RGB or CMYK? PSD, JPG, or TIF? See helpdesk’s table of common file conversions.
4. Think about file size
Print files can be huge, and huge files can slow things down. Do you really need 3000 x 4000 pixels? Are you aware that printing a grayscale image as an RGB file takes four times as long? Understand file compression in JPEG and don’t be afraid to use it.
5. Media
Think carefully about what you can and cannot (or should not) put through printing devices. Use standard sheet sizes whenever you can. Don’t waste (and pay for) expensive rolls of plotter paper.
6. Preview
This is the most essential advice: preview preview preview. Where appropriate, run a test print on a nearby laser printer. Check printable area, cropping, orientation, font substitution, appearance of linked items, grayscale versus color, etc.
7. Leave time
Plan ahead for some delay. Better yet, plan to print when demand is lower. Some schools require 24 hours notice on large color prints. We do not. And some places charge three times as much. We have a good deal here. Please work under its terms.
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