Digital BW, The Print

Exactly.  

You CAN survive through mimicking if you can compete on price but you do
need to provide some sort of certification, something which gives the buyer
confidence in the quality of the product you sell.  Unfortunately with
issues such as archival quality, there is no substitute for independent,
recognised testing.  And btw I would not necessarily be leaning too hard
towards Wilhelm - I hear that their tests leave a lot to be desired but in
the absence of a credible alternative they have become a standard which
people look to.

Even if companies like MIS endeavour to innovate more and get out ahead of
the likes of Epson (they have done a good job in the niche B&W field by
actually supplying something that to date Epson has not supplied) they will
need to provide certification.  Paul's tests have filled the gap well but if
MIS is serious they need to think seriously about stumping up for
independent tests and factoring such costs into their pricing.  With the K3
inks Epson have likely taken a big bite out of MIS' innovative product set.
I'd like to see them not just mimic but get back out in front again.  But
again independent certification will be a key factor to broad success.  In
addition, they need to take greater control over the quality of critical
ancillary items also - ink cartridges that match the quality of the OEM
product.  There's no point having good ink if you have to have people put it
in a crap delivery mechanism.

There are other ink manufacturers out there close to coming to market with
real innovation - new ink formulae based on research rather than mimicry. If
what I have been told about these inks and the tests conducted on them is
true they will blow our minds. But again independent certification of the
expected archival quality of their products will be key to establishing
confidence with potential customers.  These guys will get one shot at the
big time - one rarely gets two chances.  They need to ensure that when they
launch everything is top notch - from the ink, to the certification
confidence they provide potential customers to the cartridges they supply
the ink in.

The game just got a little tougher for MIS.  When the going gets tough....


> From: Pacific New Media <panmedia@...>


> 
> If Epson K3 is better and easier than MIS right now, for its own survival
> MIS has to come out a better solution or it will be the history.
> 
> One thing MIS can do is to come out a new set of inks and cartridges for
> Epson K3 printers. Better and cheaper. Refillable cartridges. CFS.
> 
> How about 8 or 9 B&W inks with different shades?  Make one ink working on
> both Matt and Glossy paper?
> 
> Many many things can be improved or invented in this field.