Photocopier Blues
Two posts in one day. Shock! Horror!
Anyway, I had to photocopy a reading for uni today. Firstly, the reading was on closed reserve so I had to ask the librarian for it. Secondly, the reading was about 30 pages long. Photocopying is 9c a page so I wasn't going to spend roughly $1.80 on photocopying - no way! So I though that I'll do 4-up double sided copying thus saving me plenty as this only costs 7c and I only have to do 1/8 of the copying. Pressing the right buttons on the photocopier was easy (well designed interface) and the copying was also easy but the problem arose when I realised that although the thing was copying for me, I had no idea where to finished product was coming out of the beast! Really, no idea.
Not wanting to seem stupid, I didn't ask. I just kept photocopying and since I was presumably having such success with the first reading, I thought I'd copy some more. I still had no idea where the paper was coming out. Besides, there were other people in the room and I didn't want to seem incompitent.
Next I thought maybe the problem was with my fancy 4-up double sided copying so I copied a single page. Alas, still no idea where the paper comes out.
It was possible that there was something wrong with the photocopier (good old ego kicking it - of course there was nothing wrong with the operator) but no lights were flashing indicating that it required some sort of human intervention.
Finally just as I'm formulating what I'm going to say to the librarian. Um, I'm not sure that I'm doing the right thing with the photocopier can you show me how to do double-sided copying please? or This is going to sound stupid but, where does the paper come out? I give the machine a final inspection. Lo and behold, I found my paper! Apparently, just like every other photocopier I've ever used at uni this one spits the paper out onto a tray under the copying surface. Amazing!
At least I'm not likely repeat this moment. I will always look under the copying surface for my paper from now on.
