Digital BW, The Print

Dear Roy & C. David and all,

Many thanks for the discussion about grayscale drivers and ICC profiles.  I list myself 
among the technically challenged in the digital age, so I do not follow your arguments that 
well.  Nevertheless, I glean something from them.

I do have a question regarding softproofing and ABW, however.  Is there a way I can see a 
softproof using ABW?  I confess I tried QTR when I had a 2200.  I also confess I did not 
understand what I was doing and did not follow how the process worked.  So I abandoned 
it, worked on color images, and bought a 3800 when the 2200 died.

I am now slowly trying to test its capabilities using Bill Atkinson's targets, which he so 
generously shares, in determining what each color space/paper/paper profile/media type 
looks like.  I realize that once one settles on a basic combo, the fine-tuning begins, with 
regard to ink density, etc.

I'm scratching my head on what is the best way to glean information about the ABW 
grayscale driver in a useful, efficient fashion.  Anyone's recommendations on that chore 
would be gratefully received.  Trying to judge how a specific tint/neutral/dark/darker 
combination will look on your print using only the tiny little picture Epson provides doesn't 
cut it in my view.

Thank you all in advance for your suggestions in plumbing the depths of this business.  Or 
at least getting my feet wet.

Cheers,

Christy