Digital BW, The Print

Hello Peter,

> If it makes you happy to imagine yourself a pioneer in a vast
> historical enterprise, enjoy yourself.  But all I want to do is
> reliably and simply get good black and white prints from images
> on my computer.

Well said.  You have touched on the exact issues I described in my
articles.  You have to be a dedicated tinkerer, have the patience of
Job to put up with fussy CIS equipment, love to diddle endlessly with
curves and such, and/or spend lots more $ on RIPs.  Every approach
comes at a price and has its pros and cons.  None are perfect.  At the
present time, only BO comes close to a universal, relatively easy and
inexpensive technique, but then you have the dots, which, as you know,
you either like or don't like.

The true answer to your question of WHEN will we get simple, reliable
BW printing?? is "Nobody knows".  What you and I want simply doesn't
exist right now and nobody knows if or when it will exist.  So either
stick with the darkroom or pick one of the available techniques that
has the fewest evils for you and work within it.   

I make my living as a database programmer and am extremly busy all the
time, and have neither the time nor inclination to tinker and fuss, so
I've chosen BO to be where I hang my hat until things improve.  In the
meantime I am steadily improving my Photoshop skills, so I'm happy to
be making progress and I'm content for now.

We are all working with a degree of faith that the technology will
continue to evolve.  The truth is that those of us who have chosen to
do this and leave the darkroom behind really ARE pioneers.  We are
traveling along the leading edge in creaky wagons pulled by oxen. 
Someday this territory will be paved with high speed interstate
highways and future travelers will look back on these days and marvel
at the pioneers who had the fortitude to stick it out.

Your choice is to either accept it for what it is and work with it or
stick with the darkroom and wait awhile.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm