Today I wanted to figure out how to use my new, new camera, a Samsung WD350F. Guess what? I have to download the manual. I downloaded the pdf manual and started printing it. Guess what? The manual is 170 pages long. Guess what? I ran out of paper. Guess what? I'll probably run out of ink cartridge printing it. Guess what? Companies are saving a ton of money on printing and providing manuals on how to operate complicated items by having the consumer print the manual themselves.
I remember my first camera, a 35 mm Pentax, cost about $250. I bought it at Brooks Camera in San Francisco and got a credit account to pay for it. I paid it off a little over a year later. The cost of that camera included about three lenses, some filters, a carrying case, and a glossy covered manual. The manual probably had less pages than the one I tried to print today. I think I used the Pentax camera for about 20 or more years before it broke. The camera actually still worked but the battery door was broken. I probably could have taped it shut and still kept using the camera.
Now I have to go to the store and get some paper and probably an ink cartridge because I still have 80 pages to print out. Guess what? My printer prints documents starting with the last page first. This is convenient because I don't have to collate them. This is inconvenient if I run out of paper because I would like to start reading from the front to the back, not visa versa.
I could probably return the new, new camera but Guess what? I like it. Nowadays one thing leads to another, and another, and Guess What? to more expenses to the consumer. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
