The Printer Czar has left the building.

Oh, he’s very much alive. He’s just heading over to Staples to buy ink. Did you know that when you don’t use a printer for about a gazillion months, the printer “expires” the ink cartridges? Or something like that. I am shaking my head in disbelief.

At any rate, we have stuff to print and one of our two printers can print things but the ink is low so it prints things in a kind of a gray color, which probably won’t work at whatever scanner-type things they have at Metro these days to get boarding passes, etc. I’m not really sure what we’re doing with these printouts and I am irritated that, in this day and age, I still have to tote a ream of paper around the country to prove that I have a ticket. And actually, I probably don’t have to tote a ream of paper around the country but I am pouring my energy into writing this here blahg entry rather than figuring out how to avoid hauling a ream of paper around the country.

Long, long time ago… I purchased a loverly 12″ screen G4 Powerbook. It came with a “free” printer. We didn’t actually have wifi in the Landfill at that time. I don’t think. I plugged the printer straight into my powerbook and printing was a dream. Plus I could check what ink cartridges were low, etc.

We have had wifi printers for about a grazillion years now and they are cool. When they work. I mean that in two ways. First, we had a brand new wifi printer that came with a new iMac. That printer crapped out within months. “Free”. Yes, you get what you pay for. No problem. There were a couple of NEW or barely used printers down in the dungeon. We hooked them up. And, I have had trouble printing things on either of them from my MacBook Pro for months and months and months. “Can’t find this printer”, yada yada yada.

I grumped at the GG tonight because, whether he wants to be or not, he IS the Printer Czar. I am not an computer neophyte by any means (although the Apple Store minions always seem to think so) and I *can* [sometimes] figger this networking stuff out. If I have time and the right kind of mindset to bludgeon my way through it. The Printer Czar doesn’t have any more time than I do [arguably] but he has a better understanding of all the ‘puters, hubs, and waaaars than I do. So it’s much more expedient if he just does it. Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. (Read Cryptonomicon and substitute Enoch Root’s Greek names for the gods.)

I am looking forward to the days when we are a truly paperless society. It seems like we’re almost there and I think one of the reasons the Landfill printers don’t work very well is because we don’t print things very often.

Anyway, the Printer Czar did manage to obtain a new cartridge for one of the printers and *he* can print stuff now but I’m not sure that I can.

Good night. Grinchie, call me back. Work is a fire drill but I will get outta there tomorrow if it kills me. And then, Seattle and Lopez Island on Thursday.

5 Responses to “The Printer Czar has left the building.”

  1. Marquis Says:

    Two words: “Airport Kiosk”

  2. isa Says:

    Last time I flew through Metro I got an e-boarding pass which was just on my phone’s screen. When I check into my flight tomorrow (which you didn’t do yet, dad’s just printing confirmation emails) I’ll check to see if you can do that this time around. I’m not sure they do it at all airports or on all flights yet.

  3. Paulette Says:

    E-boarding is great! Besides, if your flight changes, gate changes, is delayed ,etc, you can use the phone screen at a kiosk to find the solution. Safe travels all!

  4. Margaret Says:

    I love getting my boarding pass early, especially if I’m just carrying on. So much easier. Enjoy my neck of the woods–look out the window when you fly into Seattle because there should be some spectacular views. (nice weather predicted!) I’ve lived here my whole life and the water, mountains and scenery from the air still take my breath away.

  5. DogMomster Says:

    I have iPhone apps for United, American, and Southwest. I have used the eBoarding for the recent United flights between GB, El Paso, and Chico. Some airports could use them, others not. Some could read my phone, others not. Had the paper pass in my purse “just in case” for each.