Digital BW, The Print

I have read months and months of discussions on this topic and don't 
want to rehash everthing.  I am looking for a very good (does not 
have to be "BEST" or "PERFECT") way to print B&W images on my 
windows XP based pc to an Epson 2200.  I am just about ready to bite 
the bullet and try ImagePrint as most people, while saying it is not 
perfect, say it works well.  I have two questions, first I saw 
someone say you can get the product for $299 with the purchase of 
additional supplies, is that price still accurate or do you have to 
talk directly to the seller and work out a "deal"?

Second, I have been waiting for months to see in IJC or something 
like it becomes available for Windows.  Anyone hear anything about 
this?  I am not in a huge hurry and a 2-3 month wait is ok, but I 
sure would like to know if that was light at the end of that 3 month 
wait and not just a train.

Oh, one final thing, does ImagePrint help out in color printing as 
well, or is it's strengh really in helping with B&W printing?

Thanks all for the many posts which have educated me greatly on many 
subjects, and confused me on a few as well, but always in a way that 
was helpful.

Matt

> Second, I have been waiting for months to see in IJC or something 
> like it becomes available for Windows.  Anyone hear anything about 
> this?  I am not in a huge hurry and a 2-3 month wait is ok, but I 
> sure would like to know if that was light at the end of that 
> 3 month wait and not just a train.

There's always something to wait for, isn't there? :-) I'm in the
same boat as you: Windows PC + 2200, evaluating B&W options. I'm
going one way or another by Nov 1, I've promised myself.

* I spoke with the people at Bowhaus a week or so ago asking
about IJC for Windows. My impression is that the Windows version 
of IJC is coming, but not within the next 2-3 months. More like 
6 months, though the fellow I spoke with wasn't quoting dates, 
that's just my conclusion based on our conversation about where 
they are in the development cycle. I was disappointed. It would 
be my preferred solution. Of course, you can buy an old mac and 
set up a print server... 

* I evaluated ImagePrint in January and returned it because I 
saw dots in the highlight areas of prints & found the shadows 
to be compressed. The latter seems to be fixed. I wonder if 
the dithering in the highlights has improved with the recent minor 
releases. People seem genuinely pleased with their results, 
and no one has mentioned the highlight dots lately.

* I asked in the Piezo3000 forum whether the 2200 was going to be
one of the printers released when Jon Cone rolls out his new stuff
at Photo Plus Expo, Oct 30, and got no response.

* I would jump at the Septones, except I don't want to have to choose
between a CFS or paying $18/cart for ink. But I have both the 7600
samples and the (meager) 2200 sample and they look good.

* Finally, I want to know what the forthcoming Oriental paper 
can do, and with which inks & software. Last posts on this I'm
aware of mentioned end of summer, early fall for availability.

So, as usual, it feels like a whole lot could change in the next
month or so. Does anyone have updates/corrections/comments on any 
of these things? 

-David