Netscape printing question....

[Rich Harrington]

At 06:16 AM 4/22/96 -0700, dlking at ocean.st.usm.edu wrote:

[snip]

>> Question 2:  Is there a way to limit the total number of pages allowed for
>> printing...we would like to avoid the problem of a student unwittingly
>> trying to print a 50+ page document.
>
>I don't think so. However, you could completely disable the print 
>feature, and only allow downloading of documents. Of course, this 
>wouldn't look quite as good in some instances....

   Isn't one of the best answers to limiting printing from the 'Net to just
let economics do it?  We currently charge for printing from CD-ROM resources
in our library, and when we have public Internet access, we will do the same.

   What we have done is simply connected debit-type (Danyl brand) copy card
readers to our laser printers' paper-out sensor -- if there's no card
loaded, the printer believes itself to be out of paper, and won't print.  As
we are a privately-funded library open to the public, we don't really have
to clear any hurdles about charging for information -- but at the same time,
even public libraries charge for photocopying.  Philosophically, it seems to
me that printing is the same:  the transferring of information from one
medium to another.

   Of course, it doesn't solve the problem of the unwitting user (though
they can hit the Cancel button as they see the page numbers count up and do
the math in their heads), but it does stop printing abuse.

   We will also allow downloading (we will charge for it, in the form of
requiring users to buy a new, virus-free disk, but other places could allow
it for free).  And, they can always take notes!
----------
Rich Harrington
Electronic Services Department
James J. Hill Reference Library, St. Paul, MN USA
rharrington at jjhill.org