Complaint About Mac Printing

jyl · jyl's Garage

So, I'm a big Mac fan, but one area I've always thought Mac OS is terrible at is . . . printing.

In my experience, there is frequently not the right driver for your printer, so you have to hunt around for some GIMP driver or whatever. (Had this on an Epson.)

If the printer has a special feature, like an auxiliary tray for photo print paper, it often doesn't work for Macs. (Had this on some H-P PhotoSmarts.)

I'm particularly complaining about iPhoto, which seems remarkably dumb when it comes to printing photos. You choose all the settings for 4x6 and it comes out as a little image filling one corner of the 4x6. It seems like the settings are additive, iPhoto scales the image down from full sheet to 4x6, then the Print app scales it down again from full to 4x6, and the result is a teeny little image. To get it to work, I have to pretend I'm printing a full 8x11 sheet in some settings, and correctly specify 4x6 in others. The rest of the OS and the iPhoto app has a 120 IQ, but in this respect they seem retarded.

Is this just my mistaken impression (maybe I'm the retard), or do other Mac users agree that printing isn't up to the intuitive, seamless, ease of the Mac experience?

P.S. Still on Tiger here.

Mule · 03-08-2008, 10:55 AM

Another heretic. Mac printing has peen nothing short of horrible in every experience i have ever had.

kstar · 03-08-2008, 10:57 AM

There you go again.

Mule · 03-08-2008, 11:12 AM

Do I need to write a disclaimer to cover the fact that my opinion may differ from someone else's? Come on Dude!

stomachmonkey · 03-08-2008, 11:31 AM

If the drivers are not available or written to include every option then that would be a mistake on the printer manufacturers end. IE: the people that actually write the drivers.

kstar · 03-08-2008, 11:38 AM

John:

I agree that Mac printing can sometimes be more complicated that it should be. In some cases you have to use "Page Setup" in the application's Finder menu and settings within the actual printing pane.

I have had the best luck installing the actual printer's drivers that come with the printer or getting the right driver from the manufacturer's web site, as opposed to trying to use a generic driver.

I think this may solve most of the problems you mention.

Mule: You can post whatever you want, of course.

But, John asked a sincere question and just wanted some help. Macs aren't perfect, despite your claims that us Mac folks think they are.

FWIW.

Best

Mule · 03-08-2008, 12:15 PM

I missed the part where it was "please reply with help only," "or please help," at all. His statement was in line with what I had said my experience was in printing on a Mac, hence my comment. Jeeeez!

stomachmonkey · 03-08-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule

I missed the part where it was "please reply with help only," "or please help," at all. His statement was in line with what I had said my experience was in printing on a Mac, hence my comment. Jeeeez!

What he said was,

Quote:

...or do other Mac users agree that ...

You are obviously not a Mac user so your input was not specifically requested

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

I suppose all posts should end with, "please don't be a dick..."

Then again we'd cut the post count here drastically

Printing photos can be problematic, but that is due to a combination of the way to OS deals with it along with 3rd party crappiness. I've had a devil of a time with Aperture, as different OS versions have different printer drivers and for some apps I can't change the paper type...rather infuriating.

As stated above the best bet is if you can use the actual print controller app that comes with the printer. Higher end ones will have this. I've had good luck with the Epson 900 photo drivers. The built-in ones with the OS, not so much.

For basic printing of wp documents though, I've never had much of a problem, and invariably the Mac will find printers without any intervention.

Mule · 03-08-2008, 04:46 PM

Gee whiz! Is that what I was doing? I didn't even realize it. You see I used to be in the laser printer supply & support business. My only contact with Macs was as it related to printing. As someone who printed from Macs occasionally & PC's commonly, let me tell you STRAIGHT UP & DOWN that printing on a Mac is like teaching a pig to top dance. It takes a while! (at least compared to a "wintel" unit) I have mentioned this before. Apparently I'm not the only one to form this opinion. I did not realize that chiming in with jyl constituted "being a dick." Sorry. I will try to do better. Macs still print like crap.

kstar · 03-08-2008, 04:57 PM

Were you printing on Macs back when they were "full of proprietary parts"?

FWIW, my 9 year old has no trouble printing on her MacBook, but maybe she can teach pigs to dance as well. 99% of the time I don't have trouble either.

Macs, like Windows boxes work best with the appropriate drivers as I am sure you already know.

I would call your reply not helpful and dick-like, bit that's just MHO. 100% horrible experience with Macs and perfection with a Wintel, eh? I don't believe that for a moment.

Quote:

Another heretic. Mac printing has peen nothing short of horrible in every experience i have ever had.

Best,

Kurt

Mule · 03-08-2008, 05:00 PM

I never had a Mac fail to print. You just need a LOT more time than on a PC. I'm assuming that they had the right drivers because Macs don't have problems, right? First hand experience, sorry if it's hard to swallow. Wintel perfection, can you point out where I said anything like that?

kstar · 03-08-2008, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule

I never had a Mac fail to print. You just need a LOT more time than on a PC. I'm assuming that they had the right drivers because Macs don't have problems, right? First hand experience, sorry if it's hard to swallow. Wintel perfection, can you point out where I said anything like that?

I have never claimed Macs don't have problems and most any reasonable human understands that any complex OS will have problems somewhere, sometime. Your pulling your "you guys think Macs are perfect" then following it with "Wintels are better" poop.

You didn't say Wintel was perfect, my mistake, but you did say:

Quote:

It takes a while! (at least compared to a "wintel" unit)

Pure unsubstantiated BS. It is impossible to reasonably make such a global statement across all Macs and especially across the great mixed variety of Wintels. Pure bunk.

Most folks that use both both platforms on a regular basis are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each. Honestly, you're worse than any Mac fanboy I have known.

This is the last time I am going to engage you in this thread, FWIW. Sorry to everyone else reading this thread that I even replied!

Take care,

Kurt

Mule · 03-08-2008, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstarnes

I have never claimed Macs don't have problems and most any reasonable human understands that any complex OS will have problems somewhere, sometime. Your pulling your "you guys think Macs are perfect" then following it with "Wintels are better" poop.

You didn't say Wintel was perfect, my mistake, but you did say:

Pure unsubstantiated BS. It is impossible to reasonably make such a global statement across all Macs and especially across the great mixed variety of Wintels. Pure bunk.

Most folks that use both both platforms on a regular basis are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each. Honestly, you're worse than any Mac fanboy I have known.

This is the last time I am going to engage you in this thread, FWIW. Sorry to everyone else reading this thread that I even replied!

Take care,

Kurt

That will probably save you some embarrassment. I was going to explain technically why Macs print like pigs but since you are bailing I can save some keystrokes.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule

That will probably save you some embarrassment. I was going to explain technically why Macs print like pigs but since you are bailing I can save some keystrokes.

What part of "being a dick" don't you understand?

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule

Gee whiz! Is that what I was doing? I didn't even realize it.

Maybe that is the core issue. You don't realize when you're being a condescending and combative jerk. My gut feeling is that you know good and well but just enjoy getting a rise out of people.

fwiw. ymmv.

kstar · 03-08-2008, 05:45 PM

Mule, since your explanation of why Macs have printing problems that Wintels don't have may be germane to this thread, why don't you explain it to me and others who may be interested.

Thanks.

Best,

Kurt

Mule · 03-08-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostatic

Maybe that is the core issue. You don't realize when you're being a condescending and combative jerk. My gut feeling is that you know good and well but just enjoy getting a rise out of people.

fwiw. ymmv.

Let me rephrase my original statement. I have heard that Macs are wonderful machines. I must have experienced some anomaly because it seemed as though every experience I had trying to print, took an inordinately long period of time. I am assuming that this is some personal problem on my part and am seeking counseling. I sincerely hope that no Mac user or anyone else for that matter was offended by my obviously incorrect statement. What helped to confuse me was that as an HP authorized printer technician I was aware that Apples used Postscript printer control language to print. Postscript required the printer to address every pixel on every page. So a 600 dpi printer had to address roughly 56,100 pixels & determine which one got a dot & which one didn't. In comparison, a PC printed using the HP Printer Control Language. This downloaded fonts on boot up & from that point only sent commands saying "put an a here or a b there. So it SEEMED as though the PC responded much more quickly. Obviously I was confused & I hope the counseling helps me overcome my reliance on fact. Hopefully no one was offended by my explanation & in closing let me say, Macs print like pigs.

stomachmonkey · 03-08-2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostatic

Maybe that is the core issue. You don't realize when you're being a condescending and combative jerk. My gut feeling is that you know good and well but just enjoy getting a rise out of people.

fwiw. ymmv.

Yup!

stomachmonkey · 03-08-2008, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule

Let me rephrase my original statement. I have heard that Macs are wonderful machines. I must have experienced some anomaly because it seemed as though every experience I had trying to print, took an inordinately long period of time. I am assuming that this is some personal problem on my part and am seeking counseling. I sincerely hope that no Mac user or anyone else for that matter was offended by my obviously incorrect statement. What helped to confuse me was that as an HP authorized printer technician I was aware that Apples used Postscript printer control language to print. Postscript required the printer to address every pixel on every page. So a 600 dpi printer had to address roughly 56,100 pixels & determine which one got a dot & which one didn't. In comparison, a PC printed using the HP Printer Control Language. This downloaded fonts on boot up & from that point only sent commands saying "put an a here or a b there. So it SEEMED as though the PC responded much more quickly. Obviously I was confused & I hope the counseling helps me overcome my reliance on fact. Hopefully no one was offended by my explanation & in closing let me say, Macs print like pigs.

Adobes configurable postscript interpreter, a RIP engine

The pre press industry standard for quality

If u knew anything about design you'd understand why loading fonts at boot is an issue

For everyday business functions its fine

Not in the graphics world