Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!convex!mic!letni!ataritx!egsner!csccat!ncmicro!ltf From: ltf@ncmicro.lonestar.org (Lance Franklin) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: An interesting idea... Message-ID: <347@ncmicro.lonestar.org> Date: 28 Apr 91 05:23:33 GMT References: <912@cns.SanDiego.NCR.COM> Organization: NC Microproducts, Inc. Richardson, Tx Lines: 36 In article <912@cns.SanDiego.NCR.COM> dltaylor@cns.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Dan Taylor) writes: }In judge@alchemy.tcnet.ithaca.ny.us (rory toma) writes: }>Would it be possible to produce a cheap laserprinter (Postscript) that }>used both the memory and processor of it's host machine? } }I'll say before the NeXToids. Theirs does just that. There are }also interface boards that drop into PC's, but have their own CPU }and RAM. They interprest the PS and dump it to the printer. } }My question is: why burn system CPU bandwith on a mutlitasking machine, }since the cost of PS on a laser with it's own CPU already is so small. Talk about Deja-Vu....this same discussion took place when Atari came out with their laserprinter that used the ST's memory and processor to do the dirty work. It's not exactly a new idea. And your last question was exactly what Amiga users asked back then too. Now, when PS lasers are even cheaper than they were then, it's an even better question. Especially in a networked environment, where several users might utilize the same printer...would YOU want to be the guy with the NeXT laser hooked to your computer when the guy in the next room submits his 200 page print job? Not to mention when you want to hook the printer up to your PC Portable to print that document for that neat piece of PD software you got for it. Stand-alone Laser-printers have at least one other advantage...you don't have to find another NeXT user to sell it to if you ever need to get rid of it. :-) Lance -- Lance T. Franklin +----------------------------------------------+ (ltf@ncmicro.lonestar.org) | "You want I should bop you with this here | NC Microproducts, Inc. | Lollipop?!?" The Fat Fury | Richardson, Texas +----------------------------------------------+