Library rant #3

[groovy]

One fucking word: PRINTERS!

[hr]

Remember now, there's a big difference between kneeling down and BENDING OVER!

[munchingfoo]

Yes, I was always curious as to where exactly the file you sent got routed. Given the time it takes, around 5 minutes, travelling at 2x10^8m/s, it could go, well... you do the maths.

[hr]

“ When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading”

[Jono]

Yes...

On Saturday, I tried to print an article of JSTOR, and only half of it came out. It wasn't broken or anything; the printer just refused to do the other half. What the hell was that all about?

[hr]

I disagree with you in principle.

[Power Metal Dom]

Quoting munchingfoo from 18:20, 19th May 2008
Yes, I was always curiosu as to where exactly the file you sent got routed. Given the time it takes, around 5 minutes, travelling at 2x10^8m/s, it could go, well... you do the maths.

60 billion metres. Or 60 million kilometers. Or 37,282,271.5 miles. Or 6.34214046 × 10^-6 light years.



[hr]

Like flames on fuel...upon metal I drool

[munchingfoo]

Of course, one would also need to factor in the repeater costs, and we'd have to assume that this was a single data cable with no routing, but still, I don't think the uni has such a beast.

[hr]

“ When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading”

[sat]

I am yet to be convinced of the reliability and general usefulness of the university's printing system.

[Gubbins]

What you don't see is if you open up the printers, there is a small band of monkeys sitting there, sticking ink-stained letters onto a printing press.

[hr]

...then again, that is only my opinion.

[Wonderboy]

Throughout my time at this university the printing system has never caused me any problems - it's been a delight.

[groovy]

For me it's been insufferable!

It took me an HOUR yesterday to print ten documents- it's not a one off occurence either, it's been like that for at least three years now!

And the printer in the Fife Park PC room wasn't working AT ALL the other day...

Another thing that annoys me is that in the 5-10 minutes when you're waiting for it to be sent to the printer, the application that you printed the document from is frozen and you can't use it for the duration that it is being sent to the printer... Since I'm graduating I feel like using the last of my print credits to print over 50+ pages of an A4 image that is nothing but BLACK, petulant protest I know... but it might make me feel better

[hr]

Remember now, there's a big difference between kneeling down and BENDING OVER!

[iab2]

Quoting sat from 19:12, 19th May 2008
I am yet to be convinced of the reliability and general usefulness of the university's printing system.

I am studying in Heriot Watt at the moment (I hate saying that) but there is a serious shortage of printers. None in halls, the library closes at 8pm and the departments are all locked at about that time too. There are no printers available then until the next day, in a university I find that quite poor. A friend was once reduced to begging at the conference centres 24 reception to get urgent print-outs at ~9pm on a weekday. I miss the by comparison exellent St Andrews IT provisions and the 24 computer labs most of all out of that.

Also of note is the extremely slow speed of the network here, at most times it is worse than dial-up and occasionally just completely lacking in bandwidth that even a text based webpage will not load.

You guys still in St Andrews have it soooo lucky.

[hr]

http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/104233.html

[nutzdiemachtluke]

Herr B, i apologise again for your current incarceration in an academic void. It will soon be over - and yes, your IT provisions there do sound as grim as the accommodation. BUT....that doesn't justify the logistical crapness of the st andrews *printers*. Any printing service which a) fails to print [and not on grounds of lack of paper/toner] on a regular basis is clearly not doing its job and b)being told to email the helpdesk when you're standing at the helpdesk talking to a RLP (real live person in non-geek speak) is more than mildly infuriating...

[juiciestbabygurl]

At the beginning of this year, after trying to print out a pdf file for half an hour, I realised it was save a lot of time and stress to buy my own printer.

I buy my in bulk from Tesco online and get the really cheap stuff and I buy my cartridges from Amazon and all-in-all it had worked out cheaper for me.

Go the printer/scanner from Argos for 30 quid

[fatboy]

Quoting iab2 from 20:27, 19th May 2008

Quoting sat from 19:12, 19th May 2008
I am yet to be convinced of the reliability and general usefulness of the university's printing system.

I am studying in Heriot Watt at the moment (I hate saying that) but there is a serious shortage of printers. None in halls, the library closes at 8pm and the departments are all locked at about that time too. There are no printers available then until the next day, in a university I find that quite poor. A friend was once reduced to begging at the conference centres 24 reception to get urgent print-outs at ~9pm on a weekday. I miss the by comparison exellent St Andrews IT provisions and the 24 computer labs most of all out of that.

Also of note is the extremely slow speed of the network here, at most times it is worse than dial-up and occasionally just completely lacking in bandwidth that even a text based webpage will not load.

You guys still in St Andrews have it soooo lucky.

[hr]

http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/104233.html

The library closes at 2145 on a weekday. But still, Heriot Watt is shit.

[niall]

At Strathclyde, I find that printing PDFs from windows to our printers takes far longer than it should. I managed to get my macbook to print onto the network, and it takes far less time printing the same documents.

I blame windows

[sat]

Quoting niall from 10:18, 20th May 2008
At Strathclyde, I find that printing PDFs from windows to our printers takes far longer than it should. I managed to get my macbook to print onto the network, and it takes far less time printing the same documents.

I blame windows

I would tend to agree, though I don't know enough about Windows' interfacing with network printers to comment. I am generally disappointed at the number of public-access Linux machines (zero, to my knowledge --- and no, the SAULCAT machines don't count).

[Duggeh]

Buy a cheap black and white laser printer. Much much cheaper to run than an inkjet, faster too and with printouts that dont smear when you use a maker pen. Works out cheaper than printer credits too I dare say.

[hr]

IMAGE:www.thismanwillkillyou.com/avatars/tb3-100.jpg
Duggeh: Master Of Ceremonies

[schmod]

Print to the central queue, and then release the documents at:

http://cpq.st-andrews.ac.uk

It seems to me that it's actually the university computers, and not the printers that have weird problems printing PDFs, and the like.

(And of course, remember to use Duplex, and multiple pages/sheet when practical! Saves a ton of money.)

[Duggeh]

Photocopying duplex still costs 7p per side despite using half the paper. Is it not the same for the printers? If duplex printing is half the cost and photocopying isnt I find that hugely unfair.

[hr]

IMAGE:www.thismanwillkillyou.com/avatars/tb3-100.jpg
Duggeh: Master Of Ceremonies

[iab2]

Quoting fatboy from 08:56, 20th May 2008
The library closes at 2145 on a weekday. But still, Heriot Watt is shit.

It does indeed well spotted (shows how often I use the library). I only found that out myself after posting and can only assume this incident happened in a holiday, which still doesn't make it any better. Sadly I cannot rely on my memory these days, I must be getting old. However, the point I was making is that the system is comparativly quite good and you would miss it were it gone.

[hr]

http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/104233.html

[Delts]

Quoting sat from 12:42, 20th May 2008

Quoting niall from 10:18, 20th May 2008
At Strathclyde, I find that printing PDFs from windows to our printers takes far longer than it should. I managed to get my macbook to print onto the network, and it takes far less time printing the same documents.

I blame windows

I would tend to agree, though I don't know enough about Windows' interfacing with network printers to comment. I am generally disappointed at the number of public-access Linux machines (zero, to my knowledge --- and no, the SAULCAT machines don't count).

Astronomy has some Linux machines, but they aren't accessible to all students (the ones in the physics labs might be, but I doubt it and have never checked).

A note on the printers though, a few months back they just started refusing to print things for me. My documents disappear into a void. I have the credits, but the printers never receive the documents.

[hr]

...Because music is the best thing you'll ever hear!