Instant
Slate
As part of our continuing efforts to make it easier
and more convenient to print out your favorite
Slate
features on (... what is that stuff called again? Oh, yes,) paper, we're
pleased to announce, through a special arrangement with Hewlett-Packard, a
nifty--and free--new bit of software from HP called Instant Delivery. It is a
much simpler variation on HP's Web PrintSmart software described in "" a few
weeks ago. What makes it simpler is that we do most of the work. ("We" meaning
Slate
's self-sacrificing software development team,
not the lazy, pig-ignorant journalists, let alone the business staff.)
With Instant Delivery, you can have
Slate
's "Today's Papers" waiting for you at your
printer every morning. Your computer will automatically dial up (if necessary),
connect to the Web, download Today's Papers (in a specially formatted edition
for printing out), and send it to your printer. We plan to make other
Slate
features available this way in the coming
months.
Actually, once you have installed HP Instant
Delivery, you can use it to schedule automatic printouts of any page on the
Web--including other pages of
Slate
. But they won't
be formatted for printing out, you'll have to do the scheduling yourself, and
the pages must have unchanging URLs (Web addresses). (HP's other software,
Print Smart, solves the formatting and URL problems at the cost of formidable
complexity. But do give that one a try, too, if you're feeling ambitious. My
earlier explains how.
Go to this special page
of
Slate
for complete instructions on downloading,
installing, using Instant Delivery, and a technical support phone number. The
download button will take you to HP's site (in most cases in a separate browser
window), and you'll have to get back to
Slate
for the
button that schedules Today's Papers. But we know you can handle that. So
please give it a try.
Only the Weak Skip
the Week
Lesser magazines in lesser media are known to take a
week off during Christmas and New Year. Not so
Slate
.
We will publish complete issues for the next two weeks. Well, when we say
"complete" we should add that--strictly for the convenience of our readers, you
understand, who will be busy roasting turkeys, fighting with relatives,
etc.--the next two issues will be just slightly less overloaded than usual with
journalistic riches. And--purely so that you can get some
Slate
reading in before the hordes descend--our staff
will be closing next week's issue on Wednesday, Dec. 23, and the following
week's on Thursday, Dec. 31. We'll combine those two issues for e-mail
subscribers in a special
Slate on Paper
, which will
be e-mailed Dec. 31. No, don't thank us. Merry Christmas.
