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[parent] [thread] 10 comments
1. crazyg+(OP)[view] [source] 2024-01-22 14:59:37
> dont need a printer.

As far as I can tell, printing return shipping labels is the main reason to own a printer these days.

And even those often aren't needed, as UPS will sometimes scan a QR and print the label themselves. Or dropping off Amazon at Whole Foods.

But frequently enough there's no way around it. And if you don't go to an office frequently enough to use that printer, and buy things online (especially clothing) -- you still need one at home.

replies(6): >>stetra+E >>delich+W1 >>johann+d2 >>dukeyu+23 >>magnus+M4 >>conduc+P6
2. stetra+E[view] [source] 2024-01-22 15:04:07
>>crazyg+(OP)
And a basic black and white laser printer will handle that task just fine. Mine is 5 years old and I'm still on the original toner cartridge.
replies(2): >>TomK32+w1 >>fallin+8o
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3. TomK32+w1[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-01-22 15:09:51
>>stetra+E
Is it a laser printer or maybe is it using LED? Pity they never marketed the LED printer more heavily so everybody's granny would dump their laser printer for a LED printer...
replies(1): >>rsynno+Qh
4. delich+W1[view] [source] 2024-01-22 15:11:52
>>crazyg+(OP)
I've got a Brother black & white laser printer that is mostly a UPS label printer. But a couple of years ago bought big Canon color printer. Since then my blank walls have filled up with my favorite art, photos, people and things. I like that having the printer makes me continually on the lookout for things I want to print. I can value and memorialize things that would have been just a passing thought.
replies(1): >>bmitc+l6
5. johann+d2[view] [source] 2024-01-22 15:13:29
>>crazyg+(OP)
I solve that by going down to the drugstore round the corner where I can print the few things I need printed.

Of course this won't work for everybody, but so much less trouble for me than any printer I haf before.

6. dukeyu+23[view] [source] 2024-01-22 15:17:30
>>crazyg+(OP)
About 90% of my printer usage in the last year has been D&D character sheets and rule summaries.
7. magnus+M4[view] [source] 2024-01-22 15:26:33
>>crazyg+(OP)
There are still other reasons to print stuff, and still preferably at home often enough. Hobbies (sheet music, game material), German bureaucracy, workflow preferences. However these companies made it completely impractical to own an inkjet printer which you might not use for 6 months at a time, and for some reason they aren't milking laser printers as hard.

Though, I'm pretty sure I'd just spring for a thermal printer if they made toner maintenance impractical too, personally speaking.

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8. bmitc+l6[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-01-22 15:34:56
>>delich+W1
I print things all the time even on my black and white Brother laser printer. I often will print out articles and papers to read them on actual paper instead of a screen and to also take them on the go.
9. conduc+P6[view] [source] 2024-01-22 15:37:41
>>crazyg+(OP)
I haven’t owned a printer since early 2000s. The drivers and malware always annoyed me way more than ink prices.

My main print source is occasional business dealings. Just last week I hired a civil engineer for a consult and he sent me a PDF to sign and return. I thought it was archaic, expecting an esign, especially for the small job it was ($1000) but I think he was old school/low tech (even fumbled the Teams meeting invite we had pretty hard) so I just went with it.

This type thing comes up for me 2-8 times a year over the past 20 years. I just use printandgo@fedex.com and make an errand out of it. There’s a few brick and mortar locations near my home and areas I frequent so it’s never too inconvenient. I can sign and scan it back to PDF while there too. Printing alone was never enough for me anyway, so I’d either need to get a print and scan printer or two separate peripherals. Using FedEx costs me about $10-30 a year and just works albeit requires a little logistics on my part.

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10. rsynno+Qh[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-01-22 16:20:37
>>TomK32+w1
For whatever reason, black and white LED printers don't seem to have caught on. A lot of colour 'lasers' are actually LED printers, but most B&W ones seem to really be laser printers.
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11. fallin+8o[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-01-22 16:47:39
>>stetra+E
I'm on my second cartridge and your comment made me check how old my laser printer is: 9 years.
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