Thanks for the replies chaps. Seems like the usual "nothing is ever straight forward" scenario when it comes to things like this.
If I went into Jessops/Boots and paid for a load of prints from the machine, then how would they compare to 'home-made' prints? What I might end up doing is saving the best ones on disk and going into said shops, printing a load out and sending them off if they are better than from my old steam-driven printer.!!
Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated.