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From: bb@wjh12.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.text,comp.periphs,comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: Review: HP LaserJet Series II
Message-ID: <59@wjh12.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Mar-87 01:51:14 EST
Article-I.D.: wjh12.59
Posted: Wed Mar 11 01:51:14 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Mar-87 20:31:24 EST
References: <853@maynard.BSW.COM> <588@zen.UUCP>
Reply-To: brent@textware.UUCP (brent byer)
Organization: Textware Intl., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 51
Xref: utgpu comp.text:532 comp.periphs:264 comp.sys.hp:96

In a follow-up to a review of the new LaserJet Series II,
Julian Perry (jules@zen.UUCP) comments:

      ......IT  IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FIND OUT WHICH FONTS ARE CURRENTLY
      IN THE LASERJET MEMORY!  

A while ago, I met with two engineers from HP's LaserJet group to
discuss LJ futures (*).  The above issue was the first I raised.  The
response was interesting, BUT, one must keep in mind the commendable
engineering philosophy associated with HP.  Their response (paraphrased):

  "Since the LaserJet family currently supports rs-232 (& rs-422) serial
   and Centronics (8-bit parallel) interfaces, with additional ones
   planned for future LJ printers, we feel it is important to maintain
   a consistent software interface for the LJ family.  Therefore,
   since most printer interfaces (rs-232/422 is the exception) do 
   not support transmission of data from printer TO host computer,
   there is no way to CONSISTENTLY provide this facility."

Such a response, from a lesser organization, might be construed as a
cop-out; from HP, I accepted it (begrudgingly!).

My second gripe about the LJ+ (and now LJ II) is the overly stingy
restriction on number of down-loaded fonts, and number of active (per-page)
fonts.  Since no memory should be used until characters in the additional
font were loaded, why put an artificial restriction on this?

This is especially significant now that the LJ II can be expanded to 4.5 Mb.
[Hey, where did we put that dis-assembler and EPROM burner? :-) ]


(*)  One of the other subjects of discussion was the recently-announced
     LaserJet 2000 (300 dpi, 20 ppm, 11x17 max, duplex, $20k).  During
     development, this printer had a *great* "code name"; it was
     dubbed the "JumboJet".  Geez, they should have loosened their
     ties and kept that name.

Julian's closing comment:

    Having  said all that, the whole  LaserJet  series  (and now the ScanJet
    too) are truly wonderful, ours never stop printing.

Hear, hear!

			Brent Byer
			  Textware
--------

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