laser-lovers@uw-beaver (05/01/85)
From: Tamir Weiner <ZSTAMIR%WEIZMANN.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA> I've been following the digest for a short time now to learn about the field. My company is considering printing options for upcoming publication of our manuals. We currently have around 2000 pages of documentation on our extensive system (designed for IBM mainframes and compatibles which includes a complete DBMS system and an application generator integrated with it). Our documentation is pretty much "plain vanilla" -- explaining the technical and non-technical sides of utilizing the system. The graphics are not fancy simple diagrams, tables, charts, and screen images, and oodles of examples. We're not too concerned with multiple fonts at this stage, but would make some use of them once we change to a processor that supports them. We currently work under Waterloo Script but would be willing to change to IBM script, or even Tex if the advantages were significant. Does anyone have any experience running a "Script" of some sort with a Laser Printer? What is the cost per page of printing final copy on laser writers? Are the laser writers cost effective for draft copies as well, or do companies do their draft work on regular line printers (as we do) and then use laser printers only for "final (or print ready) copy"? Can someone address such questions from a financial pespective? I'm basically familiar with what the laser printers are capable of, but don't have much an idea for what kinds of production they are being used.... Do companies basically use them to supplement a fancy Xerox system, or for "camera ready" items of a short nature (say less than 50 pages in length). Mostly for graphics advantages, or also for straight text material. One of the options for us would be to use the IBM 4250 printer system which supports IBM DCF (Script), and Tex. It produces beautiful camera ready stuff at a resolution of around 600 dots per inch, but produces for a single copy which is a photo "negative" from which a printing house then prints. It seems to be able to handle the kind of Font varieties being discussed in the digest and limited graphics, however it produces only this negative image which costs around 50 cents per page (not including the cost of the printer itself, just the process & paper). How would the laser printers compare to such an option? Any advice is welcome and appreciated. Thanks. Tamir ( ZSTAMIR@WEIZMANN.BITNET ) Acknowledge-To: Tamir Weiner <ZSTAMIR@WEIZMANN>