Print button

The default Print button in Microsoft software (and applications which copy this "standard") prints directly to the printer without giving you a chance to change the printer setup. As a result, you sometimes find yourself printing to the wrong size page, or using the wrong printer, or otherwise doing something you didn't intend to. This is because the Print button uses whatever settings you last set using the File/Printer Setup option, all in the name of saving a couple of mouse clicks.

If you use StarOffice (6 or later) or OpenOffice.org, you can swap this button for one that brings up the printer setup options for you to check before printing the document - the same as the default in Adobe Acrobat Reader, NewDeal Office, and many other applications.

To change the button, click on View/Toolbars/Customize. In the dialogue box you will find a box entitled Buttons In Use. Scroll through this and click on Print File. Click Remove. If the button Print File Directly is there, tick it instead. If Print File Directly is not there, scroll through the Available Buttons to Documents. Expand the Documents list by clicking on the + sign. Scroll down to Print File Directly. Click on it. Click Add. Click on Move Up or Move Down to position it where Print File was. Click OK and you're done. The customising also allows you to change the icon on the button. This makes it possible to have both Print File and Print File Directly buttons, if that is what you want.

StarOffice and OpenOffice.org can also Export to a PDF file. The default button exports the file directly. You can change this to allow you to edit the PDF options before exporting.

If you cannot change the button in your favourite application, train yourself to use the File/Print menu. That does bring up the Printer Setup in all applications I have tried.

Save ink

One mistake that can occur when you press the Print File Directly button is that you do a quality print when all you wanted was a draft for proof-reading. Quality prints take longer and use more ink.

The actual settings to produce a draft vary with different makes and models of inkjet printers. Look for "Plain paper"; and "Draft", "Speed" or "Economy" settings. You can save colour ink by printing your draft in "Gray scale", if your printer driver offers that.

True cost of printing

It has been said of King Camp Gillette that he had two ideas, one good and the other brilliant. The good idea was to make and sell a safety razor with disposable blades. That reduced the risk of the user inflicting a nasty cut on himself and made it easy to replace a dull blade instead of sharpening it. The brilliant idea was to sell the razor at or below cost and to place a high margin on the blades.

This principle has been applied to printers, both inkjet and laser. When the Group decided to buy a laser printer, we looked at what the printer cost to buy, but we also estimated our annual usage and used that to calculate the cost per page, taking into account the paper, toner, drum and depreciation of the printer. We ended up choosing a Kyocera F1010 instead of a cheaper printer, because the ceramic drum would never need replacing, thus reducing the price per page.

When choosing a printer you should do a similar analysis. In addition to the purchase price and specifications, consider the cost of consumables, especially the ink cartridges. Are cheaper alternatives available? Consider them as well.

There is no hard and fast answer. It is a very individual calculation. If you do a lot of printing the purchase price of the printer is relatively unimportant, but the cost of ink will greatly influence your long-term running cost.

If you are choosing a printer for business, greater speed will save employees' time. Maintenance and repair costs and arrangements need to be considered also.