Dot matrix printers in the year 2007
If you’re mostly working for windows shops, and you’re less than 30 years old, you probably only heard of dot matrix printers in history books.
But they still exist. Just today, i installed a new IBM 4247. In this day and age, they even come with Ethernet interfaces, and you can configure the edges using software (instead of tiny wheels).
The interesting part was that i’ve replaced a (very old) laser printer with a dot matrix printer - most people would consider this a downgrade, but dot matrix printers have several advantages over regular laser printers (though i personally prefer laser printers).
- Huge reports on continuous paper are easy to hold and transport, not really the case with 300 sheets of A4 cutsheet paper.
- Printing on layered graphite paper allows for easy and fast creation transport documents and bills, with laser printers you’ll have to use multiple drawers and a tacker attachment
The funny part is that a 4247 with IPDS and Ethernet costs about 6000 CHF - you can buy a really good laser printer for that amount of money. In the end it’s a question of worker preference. I still think that dot matrix printouts look 80ies.
Jim Hawkins:
“Printing on layered graphite paper allows for easy and fast creation transport documents and bills”
I am not sure what that is, but if it is what we in the US call carbonless copies, muliple copy, pre-printed forms or some other varient name, there is another solution then multiple drawers with a “tacker attachment”. Company that I used to work for sold paper that came in presorted “colors” (white, yellow, pink, etc) in 4, 5 and 6 sheet groups. This paper is loaded into a laser printer like a regular ream of paper. We told the system to have the printer print x (4, 5 or 6) copies on a form overlay. The really cool thing was that the drivers could sign the top copy and have all of the copies carry his signature through.
24. May, 2007, 17:05Lukas Beeler:
The presorted approach has it’s own sets of problem - tough we’ve also used it.
The forms might go out of order, and then you’ll have the wrong color on top. Also, the pages don’t hold together.
24. May, 2007, 17:14