HANCOCK@UPEI.BITNET.UUCP (03/28/87)
As part of a computer upgrade we planned to provide departmental printing off the Vaxen. We had thought that several desktop laser printers located in the departments would be better than a single central printer ie take the printing closer to the users. A quick calculation of the cost of operating our LN03 laser printer over the past year, including a 5 year amortization, maintenance, toner etc, revealed a cost of 8.25 cents per page for 60,000 pages or $5000 per year!! While we love the output this is too expensive for anything except final output. My alternative appears to be dot-matrix printers in the departments and a central laser for final output which adds complications and inconvenience to their lives. It seems that simple, convenient, high quality and inexpensive printers are not available for low-volume departmental use. Perhaps some of you have wrestled with this problem and found better solutions than I have. I would like to hear from you. Jim Hancock <hancock@upei.bitnet> Computer Centre University of Prince Edward Island Charlottetown, P.E.I. C1A 4P3 902-566-0450