I hate to be a complainer, but once in a while it just can’t be helped. Voicing it is about all I can do and it may even help me feel a little better.

We think we’ve made great advances in technology, but I’m wondering about that when it comes to computer printers. Back in the days when we used typewriters, stencils and mimeograph machines, the biggest cost involved in printing numerous copies was the paper - and stencils if a fellow made too many mistakes and had to start over again. Yes, they were a pain, and I often wondered why I didn’t buy the correction fluid in 5-gallon buckets rather than in tiny little bottles, but it didn’t cost an arm and a leg to print Sunday bulletins, newsletters and other small runs of materials.

Now, in the computer age, everything is done and edited on the screen, saving the need for correction fluid, but printing seems to cost a fortune, whether using ink or toner.

Waiting to print church bulletins until Saturday night is about as foolish as starting a plumbing project after all the hardware stores have closed. Side one printed fine, but when I went to print side two of a black and white document, the printer’s yellow toner cartridge came in low and the printer refused to print another sheet without a new cartridge even though all my settings were and had been to print in monochrome. The last time that happened, I had to replace the magenta and cyan cartridges soon, as well, in order to continue to print in monochrome.

If that in itself is not enough to complain about, here’s my real question and complaint: Why does it cost close to $250 to buy the four toner cartridges for this machine when the machine new is $100 less than that and comes with toner, albeit not full cartridges?

Well, being after-hours and too far to drive to an office supply for the needed toner, I resorted to my old ink jet printer which I bought for under $30. It,however, needed ink which I could buy at night, and that cost me more than the price of a new machine already supplied with ink.

I could go on and describe some other printing issues which arose late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, but I won’t. I’ll keep my complaint focused on the outrageous prices being charged for ink and toner and the deceptive marketing being done when printers are sold (including ink and toner) for less than the cost of replacement ink or toner.

If you haven’t noticed the ever-rising ink and toner prices, have you looked at the downsizing in quantity for the same price? Of course, there’s always generic cartridges which sell for half the price of the name-brand varieties. I’ve even tried the messy procedure of refilling ink cartridges for some added savings. But I’ve also learned that some big companies have gone to great lengths to make sure you only buy their products by adding extra tabs and sensors to keep the generic and refurbished cartridges from working.

Many of the companies, of course, speak of going green and of the lack of waste their machines produce. But is it a lack of waste if I can trash the whole machine each time it runs out of ink or toner and buy new and be ahead in costs?

This same complaint relates to the many computer systems I’ve refurbished for the Lions Club to give to students. Often the donated computers come with printers. I’ve passed some of the printers on but wonder what’s the purpose when the cost of ink to use them will likely be morethan a new printer with ink included.

I’m not sure what the solution to my complaint is. I once tried a company’s printer which boasted on how much less its ink would cost. That wasn’t entirely true and the machine itself had to be replaced under warranty, with the second one failing almost as quickly as the first.

Anyway, I’ve complained. Guess I’ll still have to go buy a new printer since I don’t even have a typewriter or stencils anymore. This time, I’m going to look at toner costs first and whether or not generic cartridges really work. But, somehow, I really don’t feel any better about the whole situation.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/22/2011