Best news of the day – we've now got toner in the department printer so can print again after a printer-free first week. Although we've a helpdesk for ICT faults, the replacement of toner cartridges requires that a budget-holding department head takes the time to track down the part and supplier, sit down at their PC, raise an electronic order and even – in this case – fit the cartridge once it arrives. My harassed PT fitted it incorrectly with the tape still on, and the first lot of prints were blank. Perhaps printer support is a topic for the
ICT strategy ?
I wonder if maybe we could have one or two large shared printers centrally maintained and available to all users, just as with copiers? Departments have to budget for their own printing costs, so when one department's printer dies it's not possible to connect to one elsewhere. Cost per print would be lower – IT departments usually push to centralise printing for that reason.