Three messages on the recent printer question.--------Johnnie
 
 
 
         Wed, 09 Mar 94 16:42 PST
         "Virginia Hetrick, in sunny Calif"   <[log in to unmask]>
         Re: Printer
 
Slow is an issue, but having looked at all these kinds of issues VERY
recently, unless you have some kind of huge traffic needing instant
turnaround, I'd go for the slow color over the fast b/w.  The ink jet
technology is considerably faster than it used to be and the quality
is extremely good.  About the only thing better in terms of color
quality is dye-sublimation printers which are probably way too expen-
sive (around $10K and up).  As an estimate, I think you need to consider
that it will take about 8-10 minutes to print a pretty "full" coverage
map (one that has less than about 40 percent white space).  With respect
to Dave's comment about a plotter, you simply won't be getting the
quality with a plotter (and it's certainly slower than an ink jet for
raster images - which is what it sounds like you probably have on the
CD-ROM).
 
Two ways to tackle the performance issue are (1) to include performance
criteria in your contract and/or (2) tell them that if they want to make
a sale, they have to bring a unit over so that you can feed it some of
your most complex maps to munch on under your supervision.  I think if
I were doing this, I might include both but go for (2) first and (1)
second.
 
In the FYI department, I've been evaluating graphic devices for more
than 24 years and the process of evaluation doesn't get much different.
The results of the process have changed enormously, however.  As little
as three years ago, I would have nearly ALWAYS recommended a plotter
versus a printer.  But, the large format ink jet printers really have
gone a long way to change what's functional and a good bang for the
buck (even a Canajian one ;-)  ).
 
HTH.
 
virginia
 
 
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      Wed, 09 Mar 1994 17:42:10 -0400 (EDT)
      [log in to unmask]
         Printers
 
 
I think the issue of printers is one that needs to be given very serious
consideration when you are considering providing graphic images. If a
user sees a multi-colored image on a computer screen and then you print
that off in "glowing" black & white I do not think you will have too many
repeat customers (could be a plus?). I also do not believe that a map
collection must have the top color printer available. It has been our
experience that patrons are so pleased to be able to have a color print
and even though it is 8.5 x 11. We are currently using an HP 500C (which
I believe has just been upgraded to a 560C?) and it produces dependable
and more than satisfactory copies for 99% of our users.
 
That other 1% is always what we worry the most about it seems. Our
solution is to work with a Copy Center (Kinko's, Charette's, whatever),
provide the user with a copy of the map on disk, and then they take it to
a commercial center where they can choose from a vareity of sizes and
quality.
 
A long time ago, I thought we would all have to have large-size color
plotters to provide adequate copies for students and researchers. Our
limited experience here with U.S. Census composite maps shows that not to
be true and that most users are quite pleased with our HP 500C output.
And, waiting one minute or two, is a small sacrifice for a good color
copy.
 
David A. Cobb
Harvard Map Collection
 
 
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         Wed, 09 Mar 94 16:46 PST
         "Virginia Hetrick, in sunny Calif"   <[log in to unmask]>
         Re: Printer
 
One thing I forgot was your issue of the color unit's having come in
over budget.  If the budget is the critical issue and you can't swing
a fairly reasonable amount of memory for the ink jet (I don't have a
calculator handy so I can't do the arithmetic, but the amount of memory
needs to be equal to the amount of information on one totally full
printer page of the largest size the printer can print), then you
might want to do the laser.  But, what that amounts to is saying that
the technical reasons (having good quality color output for your
readers' use) aren't as important as the non-technical ones.  Unfortun-
ately, probably that's something that you and your boss are going to
have to hassle about.
 
virginia