Digital BW, The Print

> From: Clayton Jones <cj@...>

> 
> What is a pity is that you miss the point.  The scale is appropriate
> for the purpose of the review, which is clearly stated:
> 
>  "This is not a scientific study, but merely my own observations
>  and impressions, so please don't treat this as the final truth.
>  It is just a general guide to provide some idea of what these
>  papers are like."
> 
> The purpose of the review's dmax ratings is not to tell what the dmax
> of a paper is.  It is to tell that it is more or less than some other
> paper (with a particular ink and technique, Eboni BO in this case).
> And the same for the ink and paper color ratings.

I said nothing with regard to your specific article.  I merely said that
your tests (of which there have been many) would be that much more useful if
accompanied by objective measurements that communicate well.

> 
> Because K3 gets better dmax on VFA than Eboni, the review is already
> somewhat irrelevent to a K3 user.  The only way the review would be
> truly scientifically accurate would be to test every ink on every
> paper, in which case a spectro would be appropriate.  But that is not
> the purpose here.  It is inherent in the nature of the review that it
> deals in generalities.  It's only purpose is as stated: a general
> guide to provide some idea of what these papers are like.

But requires one to have at least one of the combinations in hand.  To
compare X with Y purely in unquantified qualitative terms requires the
reader to have an understanding of either X or Y as a basis for the
comparison. 

> 
> 
> 
>> I think we should all chip in and buy Clayton a spectrophotometer
> 
> Completely unnecessary and unwanted - I hope nobody takes this
> seriously.  
> 
>
I was deadly serious.  I think it would make a lot of sense for us to chip
in so you can add quantitative measurements to your extensive testing.  You
give a lot of time and it would be great if the results could be enhanced
considerably.  I take it, though, that you're not interested which of course
is fine.