I agree, and second the proposal. A central space for printer reviews
that isn't run by an inkjet manufacturer trying to sell ink would be
wonderful. We wouldn't need a list of every printer on the market...just
a central space where users can post their specific printer models and
their experience with them.
A simple web form would work, running off a database, with a script to
automagically compile results into a directory of reviews. Anyone
volunteer to run the thing? Probably not a lot of maintenance once it's
up and running, but some scripting to get it set up. And I'm sure any
number of us can provide a space to put it online.
D.
---
Dave A. Chakrabarti
Project Coordinator
CTCNet Chicago
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dan Bassill wrote:
It would seem to me that a group like this could serve as an informal
"consumer reports" network. If someone sets up a web site with a
listing of every printer on the market, and with a rating system that
asks for votes showing which are the best value, longest lasting, etc.,
everyone else could vote their opinion.
Over time the collective experience of a large group would begin to
shape purchasing decisions and if people buy what lasts longest, the
market will begin to move in that direction.
Dan Bassill
Tutor/Mentor Connection
http://tutormentorconference.bigstep.com
on 11/4/05 8:46 AM, Michael Maranda at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Friends,
I tend to have serious misgivings whenever confronted with the
purchase of printing equipment and supplies. The idea of intended
obsolence or rather time limited utility of printing equipment as
seems to be the modus operandi of the printing equipment and supply
industry is what bothers me most.
What resources are there that inform consumers and organizations as
to the issues surrounding these purchases? I'm not really speaking
of a consumer reports rating, but a question of costs involved
alongside environmental issues such as the disposability/full
replacement frameworkŠ
How long should a printer last? Will you have to replace specific
parts (drum)? At what interval? Will you be able to? What is
done with old or replaced parts?
The business model for some equipment lines is that the profit comes
from sales of suppliesŠ such as tonerŠ and the actual equipment is
expected not to last more than a certain period of time, with
replacement of key parts being comparable to full replacement of the
device.
Without moving to high-end models, where I think the issues arent
necessarily that different, just the direct costs possibly more
easily absorbed (and accounted for by the organization) and the
indirect and environmental externalities not borne (by definition)
by the company aloneŠ
What role do we play in DDN and CTC communities in our purchase
decisions and in critique of this segment of the tech industry?
What is our relation to these industries, in terms of general
environmental and sustainability issues?
All devices have an expected life-cycle. But is "built to last"
something we can achieve in a commodity framework? How do we
achieve that? Can we play a role?
Regards,
MM
____________________________________________________________________________
Michael Maranda
President, The Association For Community Networking (AFCN)
_http://www.afcn.org
_Executive Director, CTCNet Chicago
Chapter _http://www.ctcnetchicago.org
_Co-Chair, Illinois Community Technology Coalition (ilCTC)
_http://www.ilctc.org
_Vice President,
CAAELII
_http://www.caaelii.org
_Vice President,
NPOTechs
_http://www.npotechs.org
_
Attend the* Illinois Community Technology Conference*, November
16-17, 2005. _http://www.ctcnetchicago.org/conference_
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