There's a battle raging, and ink has been spilled. Both sides claim victory, but the outcome is blurred. From multinationals to small business to home user, the pros and cons of desktop versus workgroup printing remains a contentious debate.
"It seems like a simple enough choice, but both solutions offer benefits. It is very situation dependent," says Samantha Galliet, HP printer product manager at southern African IT distributor SDD.
In 1998, IDC's Printer Market Review forecasted an annual increase of 56% to the year 2002 in the workgroup printer market. This does not spell doom for the desktop market, rather both solutions are distinguishing themselves in niche markets.
"With the worldwide surge in networking it became possible to easily create and manage workgroup environments, preparing the stage for the workgroup printer," explains Galliet. She goes on to add that the days of having standalone printers on every desktop have not past, but the printing environment and the demands on printing have fundamentally changed.
The new economy was quick to herald the dawn of the paperless office, but paper is still very much in vogue - in fact, printing has increased thanks to the Internet and the availability of superb colour printing tools to the home user. Ashley Botha, product manager for HP printers at SDD adds that it remains common practice for some company executives to print their e-mail before reading it. "People also print directions, photos, and a host of other documents that can be stored electronically. The common mindset is still stuck on paper."
Workgroup printing has pros and cons for the organisation and individual employee. However, in large organisations with demanding print environments, workgroup printers offer cost-effective solutions for printer management. For example, in a graphic design studio, it may be necessary for the design department to print in colour and take priority over the admin department. The network manager may customise the printer settings to meet such requirements.
On the other hand, for the individual, workgroup printing may be considered a hassle, like sharing a public bathroom as opposed to your own private one. Another possible disadvantage of workgroup printing is if the workgroup fails, the entire office may suffer.
Like workgroup printers, desktop printers offer numerous advantages, particularly for the individual. For the organisation, desktops can become costly as they are often used for personal printing, thereby wasting ink and paper. For the financial or human resources department, printing salary slips and financial reports, desktops may be necessary as they offer privacy.
To conclude, Botha says that in the home and in the office, the printer is working harder than ever. While the paperless office is a great concept, the reality of the situation is that people enjoy printing for a variety of reasons. Whatever these reasons and requirements may be, Hewlett-Packard has the ideal printer to suit your requirements, from the home and small office, through to large workgroups and large format machines.
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