Windows XP / Epson 1160 printer driver

**Brian Ellis** · 23-Sep-2003, 16:34

"I have yet to see one where the person would post a question like 'I plugged my enlarger and it would not work. Why"

There actually have been many questions along these lines about darkroom equipment. In maybe two minutes of searching the archives I found the following:

2/13/02 - Having problems with the motors controlling the filters on an Omega enlarger. The motors whirr but don't move the filters. Wants to know how to fix the motors or otherwise deal with the problem.

4/18/02 - Enlarger is out of alignment. Wants to know how to align it.

3/30/02 - Beseler enlarger isn't working with GraLab timer. Wants to know how to fix it.

2/20/02 - Enlarger is missing some parts. Wants to know what kind of diffusion glass should be used and whether heat resistant glass would work.

If it was worth spending the time I'm sure I could easily find at least a hunred other messages here along these same lines.

What you fail to grasp is that the person asking the Epson printer question was asking about an item of equipment that he uses to print his negatives. I agree that there could be difficult questions about how close a relationship must exist between photography and the equipment in question in order to be relevant and appropriate to this group but I don't see how this is even a close question. He's asking about how to fix a problem with equipment he uses to print photographs, just as the people above were doing. You had no problem with those questions, why this one?

"There is nothing wrong with an appeal for help when all other avenues of help have been exhausted but some effort has to be done before a totally unrelated question is posted as a matter of courtesy."

Thanks for letting us know about this rule you just made up. But first, fixing an item of equipment used to print photographs is hardly irrelevant to this group, and second, when were you annointed as the person who decides that other avenues have to be explored before any question can be posted here?

**Jorge Gasteazoro** · 23-Sep-2003, 17:02

Thanks for letting us know about this rule you just made up. But first, fixing an item of equipment used to print photographs is hardly irrelevant to this group, and second, when were you annointed as the person who decides that other avenues have to be explored before any question can be posted here?

perhaps if you had bothered to read the last few words you would have caught the "as a matter of courtesy" bit. I know this is a concept beyond your understanding and foreign to you but never the less is not a "rule" I made.

Fixing an equipment is one thing, asking how to use it without even making the effort to use better and probably more reliable sources again is lack of courtesy.

OTOH you consider yourself all knowing in photographic matters. I have yet to see you give this guy an useful answer. So c'mon know it all, are you going to tell him how to fix his problem or are you here just to whine?

**Brian Ellis** · 23-Sep-2003, 20:03

"OTOH you consider yourself all knowing in photographic matters."

Actually I don't. There are a few areas I know a fair amount about and a lot of areas I know a little about. There are many people who post here who know a lot more than I do. I don't consider myself "all knowing" at all, far from it. I don't know where you got that idea. Perhaps you'd care to cite some messages of mine where I indicated I was "all knowing."

"So c'mon know it all, are you going to tell him how to fix his problem or are you here just to whine?"

"Know it all?" I haven't called you names, I'd appreciate it if you would extend the same courtesy to me especially since you just finished telling us what courteous guy you were for not posting a question here about how to fix your Zone VI enlarger.

I don't have any idea how to solve his problem. I posted a message to ask Rob a question about the rules of the group as they relate to digital subjects. You then chimed in with your talk about cars and microwave ovens and how we all should fully exhaust other sources before posting anything here that you consider irrelevant and I've been responding to you. I thought it was o.k. to post messages about matters relating to the group without necessarily answering the original question. But then I suppose you've invented a rule for us to follow about that too.

**David Hedley** · 24-Sep-2003, 02:40

I did not realise that this was going to kick up such a storm.

I think it is valid to check what is relevant for posting on this forum ; in my mind, my question is relevant (a) because I had spent two days exhausting all alternative approaches I could think of to solve the problem, without success, and was/am anxious for a solution, and more importantly (b) because the process of visualisation, for me at least, incorporates a conception of the print as it appears as output from my inkjet printer. Surely the latter is what photography - and perhaps large format photography most of all - is about?

Image capture for me is with a Toyo metal field (the original Sakai half plate camera), and a range of lenses, 65mm - 400mm, most of which I purchased second hand when I was living in Japan. I use Rodinal and PMK Pyro with TMax and Acros, and have a strong liking for Astia when I do colour. However the ability to print monochrome images up to A3 in size, on heavy matte paper, has opened new channels for me in terms of thinking about what images I create and visualise, and how they are presented. I simply don't have the ability to house a large format enlarger and darkroom, unfortunately, but I don't feel that this is a terminal disadvantage. I have a different kind of output, that's all.

I'm not sure I fully follow the traditional v. digital argument, which comes across as trite and contrived to me. I do only minimal intervention in Photoshop to an image, probably less in sum total than through traditional dodging / burning, etc. I see the essence of the image in the visualisation, not so much in the printing. In fact, the technical processes (image set-up, exposure, development, scanning, printing), for me are all one cycle which serves the original visualisation.

Best regards,

David

**Jorge Gasteazoro** · 24-Sep-2003, 14:02

Know it all?" I haven't called you names, I'd appreciate it if you would extend the same courtesy to me especially since you just finished telling us what courteous guy you were for not posting a question here about how to fix your Zone VI enlarger.

Oh really? well I have taken the liberty to quote you from another site:

I gather that in your little mind if I've criticized Mr. Simmons

I suppose this was a compliment then uh?

Furthermore if you call someone a person with a "little mind" then it follows you must think of yourself as a "mental giant"....

So you see, courtesy is extended to those who deserve it. As to "solving" the problem, I did the same, I posted an agreement with Rob and you got started with your whining. So I suppose you like to dish it out but can take some of your same medicine uh?

OTHO you are correct I called you a "know it all" and that is not what you implied, I should have call you "mental giant"...sorry...

To David, here is the link to solve your problem.

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=14436&infoType=Trouble

You will see a window that says:

Support and Driver Information for Windows XP, Windows Me, and Mac OS X operating systems is now available

Go there and most likely you will find the solution to your problem....outside this forum.

So you see "mental giant" if you are going to whine, at least provide some help in defense of your "cause".

**David Hedley** · 26-Sep-2003, 09:07

A happy man...

...is when Windows XP is uninstalled and life returns to normal. Various pieces of advice, including Jorge's helpful link above, unfortunately did not work, so I have retreated to my old version of Windows, and have just printed three beautiful A3 prints, akin to a palladium print, on Lyson soft fine art.

Firmly on topic......