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From: fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Help on laser printers requested
Message-ID: <777@ssc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 5-Oct-87 15:50:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc.777
Posted: Mon Oct  5 15:50:26 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 9-Oct-87 22:03:21 EDT
References: <8709301705.AA20894@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: SSC, Inc., Seattle, WA
Lines: 41
Summary: Post-Script -- yeah

In article <8709301705.AA20894@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, menton@acoustics.nrl.MIL ("Robert Menton") writes:

    [stuff about having STs tied to big UNIX machines was here]
> 	What brand & model laser printer should we buy?
> 
> 	Recommendations are solicited.  I think we want a PostScript compatible
> laser printer, since PP and (I think) Easy Draw have PostScript drivers. That
> would leave out Atari's laser printer, even if it was available.  Email
> directly to me, or to the net if you think your ideas might have wider appeal. 
We have been using an Atari ST and Publishing Partner to add graphics to
our class materials.  What we do is:
	1. Write the text using troff
	2. Draw graphics and stuff on the Atari
	3. Merge the PP PostScript into the troff stuff using the
	   pass-thru capabilities of ditroff
	4. Print on a LaserWriter using devps, a package that converts
	   ditroff output to PostScript.
With the exception of some bugs in PP, this has worked very well.  Devps
comes with macros and a shell script to include Mac output.  This was
easily modified to work with PP output.  It (devps) also allows a 'forms
flash' capability which we use to print the border on the page and
copyright notices.

EasyDraw, as of a month ago, still didn't have their PostScript driver
working.  The hold up was that they didn't have a PostScript printer.

Now, printer suggestions.  We have a LaserWriter.  It works and was the
only reasonably priced choice when we bought it.  We sell devps and
therefore have customers with many different laser printers.  They vary
from the TI Omnilaser to the Diconix.  The only complaints I have heard
was a debate over print quality on the early Dataproducts model.  The new
one that sounds like a great deal but I have no experience with is the 
NEC one.  It has 300 dpi resolution like the rest but uses an LCD shutter
and has a projected life of 600,000 pages.  It is in the $5,000 price
range.

Hope this helps.
-- 
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549,
Seattle, WA 98155  (206)FOR-UNIX     
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