Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!peregrine!ccicpg!cci632!rit!ultb!esl0422
From: esl0422@ultb.isc.rit.edu (E.S. Law)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Public plotters in open campus labs?
Keywords: Policy, PC plotters
Message-ID: <2229@ultb.isc.rit.edu>
Date: 16 Feb 90 17:04:15 GMT
References: <1880@naucse.UUCP>
Reply-To: esl0422@ultb.isc.rit.edu (Eric S. Law)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Information Systems and Computing @ RIT, Rochester, New York
Lines: 35

In article <1880@naucse.UUCP> jdc@naucse.UUCP (John Campbell) writes:
>I guess we're considering offering plotters in our campus PC labs,
>but we're looking for some ideas or experiences that others have
>had with these devices.

    Here at RIT we have about 3-4 HP-type plotters.
    They are small 8.5x11 or 11x17 plotters with 6 color felt-tip pens.

	They are hooked up to our VAX/VMS system.

    They are freely available to the student body (as are accounts on
	the system).

    They are run in our user labs by paid lab assistants.

    This appears to be due to difficulty making the plotter an automated
    process.  They have to be hand-fed paper and the person needs to be
    logged onto the connected terminal to send the file to the plotter.
	Obvious problems arise when someone may hog the terminal by the plotter
	to do his 30 or so plots (it happens!).  So there is a signup list for
	plots.  The person leaves their username, full pathname of the plot file
	and how many copies they desire.

	I believe that the plotters are maintained by some contract, but the
	main problem is in keeping pen and paper supplies up to snuff.

	Please post a summary of your findings to the net (or please forward to
	me) since we are not entirely happy with our current setup.  We are always
	looking for ways to improve.

	-Eric, one of over a hundred UCC lab assistants

ps: All of this information is from my own firsthand experience.
    I am not representing ISC or RIT an any way except that I'm a product of
	their environment :-)