[Openicc] GoSoC 2011: CPD and ... Mike Sweet workflow

[Graeme Gill]

Michael Sweet wrote:
> What is the use case for this? Accurate profiling requires a stable target print, which
> requires some amount of drying/curing time. This isn't an ad-hoc process...

The main user case is that it always be possible to calibrate and profile
a printer. If this is a "special application", then it won't get maintained
or tested.

It's all very well to try and prevent users of different capabilities from
causing themselves problems, but ultimately if the experts can't make a
system work, it becomes a "recommended you stay away from this"
for all users, because it's not possible to get it to work correctly.

Such is currently the case with Apple due to the problems with printing
test targets.

Although expert users may be a very small proportion of the user base, disenfranchising
them has disproportionate costs, since they are the very ones to setup the systems
for non-expert users, and are the ones that non-expert users turn to for advice.

By all means use "successive disclosure of complexity", and aim for "it just works",
but you need to cater for the full range of users, including experts, if your
systems are to be used and recommended by those experts.

Graeme Gill.