[Scribus] Re: Colour management...

[Gregory Pittman]

PLinnell wrote:

>On Saturday 23 April 2005 17:53, Suki Venkat, [TnQ] wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>Thanks Craig and Peter!
>>I am wondering if RGB printers are more to do with small-scale
>>direct digital (inkjet/laserjet printers) print-on-demand kind of
>>thing and CMYK is more to do with the large-scale printing houses
>>with those big Hiedelberg Offset Machines.
>>
>>BTW:I remember one of those large printers (again one of those
>>classical old ones in Europe that was threatened by Asian market),
>>some years back, showing me some direct PC prints with colour
>>figures that he was quite impressed with, which he probably uses
>>for print-on-demand kind of thing, probably for offprint orders of
>>journal articles etc... At that time the quality was okay but a bit
>>off the mark.
>>Are these small digital PC printers in a position now to threaten
>>these large printing machines technologically and cost-wise -
>>analogous to the PC versus Main-Frame computers situation?
>>
>>Suki
>>
>>    
>>
>
>Hi
>
>Hardly, in my opinion. None of the smaller digital printers can 
>compete in scale or in consumables costs, nor handle bulk paper.
>  
>
This is the essence of the issue.  Digital printers can now print an 
acceptable quality (which isn't to say the same quality), i.e. 
resolution and faithfulness of color representation (with you doing your 
own troubleshooting). 
 From the May, 2005 issue of Consumer Reports, the top-rated HP deskjet 
will print an 8x10(inches) photo for US$1.15 (each - just the 
consumables cost), the second-rated Canon (said to be a CR Best Buy) 
costs US$0.80 (each). 
The consumables (ink cartridges) are too much of a cash cow for these 
companies to substantially lower prices.  They almost give the printers 
away -- that top-rated HP deskjet costs $130.
Furthermore, while the range of paper stock has expanded, it in no way 
truly competes with a professional printer.  My understanding from 
talking to printing industry people is that non-computer-assisted 
printing operations have largely disappeared, because they can't compete.

(the poster formerly known as  Greg)