The nightmarish problem of installing a printer

[Polytropon]

On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:58:58 -0400, Jerry <freebsd.user at seibercom.net> wrote:
> The cheapest multi-function laser recommended by you is the Phaser
> 6128MFP, an obviously loss-loser. The next version is $1500. I can buy
> a lot of ink for that. I agree that a laser printer is fine for a
> business environment; however, it would be total over-kill, and a gross
> waste of money, to install one in my home.

This depends on what you're printing at home. If you mostly 
use it for B/W text and graphics, buying a used (!) office-class
laser printer is cheaper than buying some ink-pee home consumer
device. Keep in mind that you can *not use* the laser printer
for some time without problems, but if you *not use* an ink-pee
printer for some time, it will dry out the ink and maybe damage
the printing heads (if separate), or even let the ink flow through
the printer. I have seen that already - very unpleasant.

Instead, office-class laser printers are more efficient in use
of good refurbished toner cartridges. I'm using a HP Laserjet
4 for example as a "copying center" (low-end computer, parallel
scanner, parallel printer). The last time I bought a toner cartridge
was in 2004, and right now, it's starting to fade. I'm using this
system VERY often. The printer itself is more than 15 years in my
hands now, and I HEAVILY used it. You simply can't break good
printers.

But if you require photo-printing, maybe on specific papers, or
you need a device for making colored copies, using a typical
home consumer device is often the better solution. When I need
digital photos printed out, I take the data to the drugstore as
they can do much better (and water-resistant!) than ink-pee.

A TODAY's office-class laser printer surely looks like overkill
for a home setting, I agree here. But keep in mind used ones
are also good - IF they are good. :-)


-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...