Color Mgt in LR/10.6/Epson Inkjets

Question

I'm fedup with the little game of footsie Adobe calls a "robust" print module in Lightroom.  I've read blogs, downloaded drivers and spent time with Applecare and still LR sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.  Photoshop, by contrast, DOES have a robust color management interface.  It's simple to use and is stable.  Why can't Adobe see fit to  to adapt the same software to Lightroom which is otherwise a great program?
Two action steps I want Adobe to take (and these do not require "expert" reassurances to the contrary)    1. Send a software patch update replacing the ENTIRE Lightroom print module with one similar to that found in PS (CS4)    2.Provide a simple, direct, down-to-earth, non-technical algorithm that tells you in dumbed down English how to configure both printer-controlled color mgt and application controlled color mgt. in Lightroom
Normally, I don't like to read posts that are as gritty as this one, but, I do not have the time, patience or money to drag this out forever and I am very frustrated. Hopefully, future posts will deal with more solvable problems that inevitably arise in such complex things as software programs. 
BTW, any instability I've experienced is most probably NOT the fault of Snow Leopard, the Mac Pro, OR Epson printer drivers.
Respectfully,
A Designer (not a techie)

Answer 1

MadManChan2000 wrote:
Hi Dave,
Unfortunately I do not have a complete listing of exactly which drivers (i.e., for which printer models) need to be brought to Snow Leopard compatibility. This is the practical information that would likely help you the most.
On the technical side, Apple is in the process of switching over to a new printing system. Applications and drivers both need to be updated to use the new system (e.g., for true 64-bit support, etc.); eventually the old system will be taken down. LR and CS4 have both been updated to use the new system. When using Snow Leopard-compliant drivers that also support the new system, prints come out fine. When using drivers that have not yet been updated to use Apple's new printing system, prints come out very off - e.g., very dark, or with a strong cast. The usual reaction - an understandable one - is that it is Adobe's applications that are at fault, since sometimes the older software (such as CS3, which used the old printing system) still prints fine; the logic is that the new Adobe version (e.g., CS4, LR) doesn't print fine, so it must be Adobe's new code that is at fault. Like I said, I understand why users would come to this conclusion, but unfortunately it is incorrect in this case, and there is not much that Adobe can do, since Adobe is simply following the printing procedure requested by Apple. I know that Apple is working with the printer makers to bring everything into line, so hopefully after the initial hiccups, everything will settle down and photographers can go back to making prints instead of fighting with color management.
Eric
To the excellent Mr Chan.
Once again you have provided a clear, useful and credible contribution to very understandable frustrations. In the past couple of weeks I have surfed the Adobe and Apple boards, and in doing so gained little direction from either. And certainly nothing of subsatnce or help from Epson. Now I, at least, understand a little about what my problem is; and that my problem is being worked. Thank you for the information. What a great call they made when getting you to join in on these forums.