I run an Epson CX4200 on my system and I leave it on color at all 
times.  I used to run it on "Black Ink only," but I've discovered it 
really doesn't make the color carts last longer.  The bulk of the ink is 
wasted  when you turn it on, or it recharges itself after sitting a 
while.  It dumps ink while it's doing it to clean the heads.  Most 
printers do this.

I also have a Brother 4 in 1 fax that does the same thing.  I had it 
plugged in but not completely hooked up for about a year.  I could hear 
it periodically recycle itself.  When I finally got around to finishing 
the hookup, it told me that my three color cartridges were out of ink.  
They had printed 0 pages.  There's no way they can deliver the printers 
at the price we pay for them, so we pay for them in ink.  The only way 
I've ever won on printers is buying them when they do a model change.  
They'll be clearanced for far less than the price of the ink cartridges 
that come with them.

Art Cassel

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