Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!samsung!umich!terminator!danno
From: danno@css.itd.umich.edu (Daniel T. Pritts)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: StyleWriter/DeskWriter - Which to buy?
Message-ID: <1991May24.004522.15394@terminator.cc.umich.edu>
Date: 24 May 91 00:45:22 GMT
References: <1991May21.214337.794@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> <1991May22.205501.13138@terminator.cc.umich.edu> <43645@netnews.upenn.edu>
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Organization: Univ. of Michigan ITD Consulting & Support Services
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In article <43645@netnews.upenn.edu> warden@gradient.cis.upenn.edu (Robert Warden) writes:
>
> danno@css.itd.umich.edu (Daniel T. Pritts) writes
>>>The deskwriter is two to three times as fast.  I printed a 3pg MS Word
>>>document, times 12pt with a headline, on a classic.  
>>> Deskwriter:  3:30                         ^^^^^^^
>>> Stylewriter: 10:00
>
>I disagree.  Note the use of a Classic.  The speed of the StyleWriter
>is greatly dependent on the processor's speed.  I just purchased a
>SW and use it at home with my IIci.  I too printed a 3pg MS word
>document in times 12pt with a bold headline.  The time was exactly
>3:37 minutes.  Similar tests with graphics and multiple fonts
>were approximately equivalent in speed (although I do not have a
>DW to compare against).
>
Was yours single-spaced, and dense text?  How about these figures:

 36 pg pagemaker document printed from IIFX (is that fast enough?)
    stylewriter:   50 min
    deskwriter:    29 min

 1 page word 4.0 doc w/ lots of white space (again on IIfx)
    stylewriter:   1:10
    deskwriter:     :40

 1 page word 4.0 doc w/ pasted in MacDraw II graphic:
           stylewriter       deskwriter
   IIfx        1:40              :45
   classic     3:50             1:35

 1 page MacDraw II document, consisting of shaded boxes and text:
           stylewriter       deskwriter
   IIfx        3:05              1:10
   classic     7:05              2:00

Finally, note that the people most likely to buy cheap printers like
the deskwriter and stylewriter are the same people who own classics and
SEs.  

>>>The Stylewriter with its dopey flimsy crappy little paper tray opened
>>>up still takes only about 1/2 to 2/3 the desk space of the DW.
>
>Once again I disagree.  The SW's small size is very nice whenever I wish
>to tidy up my workspace.  With it's paper tray fully extended, it
>easily fits atop my IIci which is off to the side of the monitor.  It
>is not as imposing as as a DeskWriter is.

(I fully admitted that the stylewriter is smaller, I even mentioned that 
I personally would have bought a table to put the deskwriter on if I 
didn't have the space.  No doubt about it, the SW is a lot smaller.)

>
>>>In summary:  Go with the DeskWriter.  You won't grow old waiting for
>>>output.  The ink doesn't smear as badly.  The ink cartridges are refillable
>>>(not recommended by HP but it works) while the SW's aren't.
>>>It's an easy choice unless you just can't afford the desk space (I'd
>>>buy a table for my DW before buying a SW).
>
>
>I am very pleased with my StyleWriter.  It fits my personal need very
...
>in comparable speeds).  Another note, the SW cost me $365 at the
>educational price (including cables, software, etc..) while the
>DW would have run me $568 (cables not included) at the same dealer
>with the same educational price.  The DW does not warrent the
>additional $200 if you ask me.

I'm glad you're happy.  However, note that HP has just dropped its price.
At UM, we now would pay $398 for a SW or $425 for a DW.  (both including
cables.)  I agree that when there was a $200 price difference, there was a 
niche for both, but now, I would NO WAY buy or recommend the StyleWriter.

dan pritts   danno@um.cc.umich.edu   userdano@umichum (bitnet)