mrd2@po.CWRU.Edu (Mark R. DeGuire) (01/11/91)
To the UseNet Community: We have a small computer facility in which three Macintoshes and an AT clone share an Apple LaserWriter IINT. The Macs are connected via AppleTalk, and the IBM has an TOPS AppleTalk card and NetPrint software. We would like to keep track of who prints out how many pages, so that we can charge users by the page. The fact that we have a mixed Macintosh-and- IBM AppleTalk network limits our options; the two listed below are the only solutions we have been able to find. This is how I see the systems stacking up so far. Any more advice or first-hand experience that you could share with us would be appreciated. Both of the options below allow 1) Variable charges per page and 2) More computers to be hooked up to the system, from anywhere in the department (PhoneNet cabling at modest extra cost). Option I: VendaCard reader (Model 5807, XCP Inc., Dryden, NY) o This is a hardware device that sits between the printer and the computers, similar to the card reader on the third floor copier. The printer won't print unless a valid card is inserted in the reader. Impacts: Non-cardholders would continue to have access to the computers. If we get a second printer, we would need a second card reader. o Research groups would use credit cards; information on number of pages printed on each card would be collected periodically from the reader. Impact: We could issue one (or a few) cards per account number. This reduces the number of cards but could give up a record of who did the printing. o Undergraduates would use debit cards; i.e., they would pay a certain sum per page to have their cards encoded with page credits by a staff person. The card reader would allow printing until the credits were used up. Impact: Requires someone to be available (during certain hours only?) to magnetically encode the cards (using a separate keypad device, included with the system), collect money, make change, and turn in the money periodically to the department. o It is possible to issue a print command when no card is in the reader. Nothing prints until someone inserts a card, which then begins getting charged for the previous job. Impact: Some users could get ripped off unwittingly. It may be sufficient to cancel the previous job by turning the printer off - I need to check on this. o These units have a 90 day warranty and the company has a good (several-year) track record at other universities. o Cost: $1,878.70 (includes card reader, card encoder, cable, 500 magnetic cards, and 2 program cards for facility supervisors) Option II: MacJANET network software (WATNET Technologies, Waterloo, Ontario) o This software (actually a print spooler) creates a log of how many LaserWriter pages were printed by each user, and can limit some users to a certain number of printed pages. Impacts: Pages printed on ImageWriters or other dot-matrix printers on the network are not tallied. The spooler would keep a record of LaserWriter pages printed by members of research groups. The information would have to be collected periodically. DMSE undergraduates would be given a page allocation, either free of charge or contingent on payment of a fee. (Could UMS step in here?) Lists of users, their passwords, and their account numbers would have to be maintained continuously and updated each semester. Users would have no way of specifying which account to charge (e.g., to charge 2935 for printouts of course materials). o It is primarily a file-, print-, and mail- server that would run over our existing LocalTalk cabling. It provides password protection, ability to restrict access to designated files, and the ability to access files and programs on one of the other computers on the network. Impacts: Unregistered users would not have access to the computers. Unauthorized changing of sensitive files (e.g. system software, as in a recent run-in with a yet- unknown vandal) could be prevented. Print spooling is built in. That is, the computer becomes available for use again while the printing is going on. The additional capabilities (file transfer; e- mail; elimination of duplicate applications; security), with the attendant administrative burdens, of a network environment would become available, albeit on the smaller scale and slower speed of LocalTalk. Some effort at user education would be necessary to provide an introduction to the server. o A dedicated Macintosh (Plus or better) with at least 2 megabytes of memory is needed to run the software. Impact: It would be necessary either to 1) upgrade the memory of one of the existing Macs, losing its availability to users; or 2) buy an additional Mac (a used Plus or a new Classic) with the required memory. o The software is being used at several schools, but the only one they were able to tell me about is an Apple-sponsored "Classroom of Tomorrow" at West High School in Columbus. o The $1,200 "one-time" license entitles us to 90 days of technical support, but no discount on future versions of the software. o Cost: Minimum configuration (upgrading an existing Mac): $1,200 + ~$150 = $1,350 Buying a used Mac Plus to be the dedicated server: $1,200 + ~$800 = $2,000 (estimated) Buying a new Mac Classic with 2 Mb memory and 40 Mb hard disk: $1,200 + $1,200 = $2,400 (Note: Mac Classics are currently on long backorder.)
johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu (01/11/91)
In article <1991Jan10.221834.21066@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>, mrd2@po.CWRU.Edu (Mark R. DeGuire) writes... >To the UseNet Community: [Long question about how to apply expensive technology to make sure people don't cheat on paying for LaserWriter output (and to account for official use).] 1 -- Try the honor system. 2 -- Hire a part-time student to manage the kitty and sent departmental printing jobs during off-peak usage times. Not every problem that CAN be solved by throwing money and machines at it SHOULD be solved that way. -- Bill (johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu)