I'm the original poster.

Snow Leopard version of TextEdit: First time you save is actually a "save as...". Then I want to open the file again, make a few changes, print it, quit without saving changes. Done.

Lion version of TextEdit: First time you save is actually a "save as...". Then I want to open the file again and, in order to prevent Lion from modifying my file I have to immediately select "Duplicate" but, if I forget and make a change to the file before selecting "Duplicate" I have to negotiate a dialog which asks whether I want to save the file before duplicating it or discarding the changes before duplicating it. Then I name the new file. Then I can finish making whatever changes I wanted and print the new file. I then quit TextEdit and I'm done...but I'm not because I have an extra file I didn't want in the first place so I have to remember to trash that file from wherever I saved it.

And this nonsense is supposed to be progress??? Hell; the PC fanboys may be right - Lion is Apple's Vista.

I do agree that not having a Save As option is nonsence, especially since most, if not all, 3rd party programs use Save As instead of this new paradigm, and many will probably never be changed.

That being said, I just wanted to say I'm not sure if all your steps above are necessary...

First, I think you may be able to accomplish your goal without even chosing Duplicate; I think after you open the file, you could just make your changes, print, then use Versions (click the little triangle that you will see when you move the mouse over the document title in the title bar) to revert back to the previous copy.

Also, if you do use Duplicate, then why Save the new copy? If your goal is to delete the new copy when you're done anyway, then why not Duplicate, modify, print, close (and choose Don't Save when prompted)?