Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!purdue!gatech!hubcap!ncrcae!ncr-sd!crash!simpact!jeh
From: jeh@simpact.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Wanted: Inexpensive ALPS Printer Ribbon!
Message-ID: <687.252ce9d4@simpact.com>
Date: 7 Oct 89 01:07:16 GMT
References: <640015@hpcilzb.HP.COM>
Organization: Simpact Associates, San Diego CA
Lines: 31

In article <640015@hpcilzb.HP.COM>, cobra@hpcilzb.HP.COM (Roland Dudley) writes:
> Is there something special about 24 pin ribbons or am I
> just being gouged because not many ALPS printers are being sold. 

It could be argued that there *ought* to be something special about 24-pin 
ribbons... but on the other hand I have a few catalogs that specify the
same ribbon for both 9- and 24-pin printers.  My guess is that you're being
gouged.  

*** MINOR FLAME ON ***

A glance at a catalog from INMAC, Global, or any of a number of other 
suppliers will show page after page of ribbon listings, with photographs 
of literally dozens of different models.  For any given basic design
(two-spool, "harmonica", "pork chop", etc.) there seem to be at least 
five or six variants.  

This is ludicrous.  Is it really necessary for most every printer manufacturer 
to invent their own alike-but-different-somehow ribbon???

I have seen a few counterexamples.  A Citizen printer I used to have used
Epson ribbons.  And the Juki 6100 (?) daisywheel printer used... 
IBM Selectric II ribbons!!!  (Complete with the speed-shift feature, for 
proper use with both one-strike and multistrike ribbons.)  Talk about ready
availability!  Now, *that's* good engineering -- never reinvent anything that 
you can buy down the street.  

	--- Jamie Hanrahan, Simpact Associates, San Diego CA
Chair, VMSnet [DECUS uucp] and Internals Working Groups, DECUS VAX Systems SIG 
Internet:  jeh@simpact.com, or if that fails, jeh@crash.cts.com
Uucp:  ...{crash,scubed,decwrl}!simpact!jeh