[net.text] Typesetter/printer survey

john@garfield.UUCP (John McCarthy) (07/16/83)

	I am conducting a survey of high quality text output
devices.  I would like information on available photo-typesetters,
laser printers and high quality dot-matrix printers (eg Sanders).
We are trying to decide what we need (translates "can afford") to
support our academic text processing needs.  The devices should be
easily connected to a VAX running either Unix* or VMS.

Please include as much of the following information as you can:
===============================================================

Device name/manufacturer/model:
Device type (phototypesetter,laser printer,dot-matrix,other):

Price:
Operating Cost (eg $/page):
Maintenance/Reliability:

Number of Fonts/Sizes available:
Number of Fonts/Sizes mountable at once:
Number of software definable (ie downloadable) fonts:
Horizontal/vertical device resolution:

Software support for Unix and/or VMS:
	Scribe
	TI-TROFF
	other

Any other comments, bad/good experiences, etc.:

===============================================================

Your help is greatly appreciated.


* Unix is a trademark of Bell Labs...


					Thanks in Advance...
					John McCarthy.

			us.UUCP:	ucbvax!allegra!garfield!john
			can.UUCP:	utcsrgv!garfield!john

			SNAIL:		Computing Services Dept.
					Memorial University of Newfoundland
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			Phone:		(709)-737-8330

taylor@sdcsvax.UUCP (Dave Taylor) (07/27/83)

While I do not have full information on the APS line of
photo-typesetters from Autologic Inc (Newbury Park, CA), I do have
a large amount of first-hand knowledge about the company as
a whole.  My advice is to STAY AWAY from them!  They are
on the verge of collapsing from the inside out due to very
poor customer relations and the loss of the the top 4 or 5 technical
and management personnel recently.  The parent company, Volt Information
Sciences, is not aware of this- the fact that the vast
majority of the European customers, for example, are
creating a HUGE fuss about typefaces not delivered on time,
and poorly designed and maintained equipment.

	I suspect that this company will not be around
in 5 years.  Or at least not in it's present form!!!

	Bearing unhappy news,

		-- Dave Taylor