Rubenerd

ASIDE: This post was created (according to the time stamp) on the 9th of September 2008, but for some reason it was relegated to my ever increasing Drafts folder instead of being published. I’m publishing it now with it’s original time stamp today on 7th of October 2008.

The Mawson Lakes library is a library located in Mawson Lakes, surprising though it may seem. Given it's proximity to the Mawson Lakes campus of my university, I can go to said library and use their computers with my student ID instead of registering with the library. Convenient right?

Alas this afternoon I needed to print a document on some form of pulp based paper material; I barely use the stuff but apparently some people still use it. So I plugged in my memory key, opened the PDF file, and clicked print. I then proceeded to the gigantic printer photocopier monstrosity looming in the corner of the room, only to realise that the printout want coming out.

Upon asking a library assistant why my printout was failing, I was told that because I used my student ID instead of a library ID, my printing would not in fact be carried out by the printing machine in the room in which we were both located, but rather in the university's main computer pools. This meant despite the printer being right next to me, I was told my printout was taking place on a device in a building three blocks away!

Photo of the Mawson Lakes library from their website…
curiously saved as a GIF of all things

I guess it does make sense though; why should my geographic location and method of authentication have anything to do with where my printouts are printed? Besides, they know this campus deals with computing, science and engineering, perhaps they know we don't get as much exercise and they're just trying to help!

In any event when you have someone who desperately needs to print something to prove he's paid his rent, it doesn't help when the system routes your printout to another building, despite there being a printer right next to you!

The way universities treat us, banks treat us, telephone companies treat us… it begs the question: where the heck is the common sense!? Oh yeah, I forgot: you have to pay extra for that as stated in Form 82, Section 12a, Paragraphs 91-97 and 132-912, excluding those printed in blue and/or serif font.