Digital BW, The Print

On Tue, 04 May 2004 12:14:03 -0000 Peter Nelson wrote:
<snip>
Except that there's NO, ZERO, ZILCH competition in the PC universe
for this stuff.   Yesterday we identified two separate non-RIP
products for printing BW on Mac's -vs- none on PC's.

How come Epson doesn't offer software for making decent BW prints on
a 2200?
</snip>

Peter, it sounds like you have identified a market opportunity.

Perhaps Studio Nelson could be like Bowhaus and hire software 
designers/developers to code a PC version of InkJet Control & 
OpenPrintMaker.  Or, be like Mr. Harrington and do it all by yourself.  
All for Internet fame and glory!  <grin>

Seriously though, why hasn't Epson addressed this?  Probably because 
their market research shows that the vast majority of consumers (yes, I 
said consumers... this is a consumer device not a professional device) 
do not want it.  Epson is not a dumb company.  If they thought such 
software could drive more ink sales (either color or quadtone) they 
would do it.

I don't know the numbers, but I'd bet a dollar to a donut that B&W 
prints (made either from color or quadtone inks) represent a TINY 
percentage of all inkjet prints currently being produced.

This community of of digital black and white print-makers is a niche.  
A small, craft oriented niche.  I can't imagine anyone 
producing/selling products 'specifically' for the digital black and 
white print-maker is making a decent return on the time and money 
invested.  Hopefully they are at least breaking even.   I bet most do 
it because of the love of the craft.

Now with that in mind, are you ready to go attack that market 
opportunity?

Regards,
Scott King
Austin, Texas
jscottyk.com