Harmonie (Was Re: What's New At SSII?)

[Joe Kohn <joko@crl.com>]

Even more questions are coming in via e-mail about Harmonie. 

Let me offer a suggestion...if you have a question about HP brand 
printers and/or Harmonie...post them here in public, so that everyone can 
benefit from the answer. 

Also, since questions like "How does the DeskJet model xxx work on a 
IIGS" are inevitable, if questions like that are posted on csa2, then the 
chances are much greater that an owner of the DeskJet model xxx will see 
the question and perhaps even answer it, based on his or her personal 
experience.

In any case, if questions about Harmonie are asked of me in e-mail, and I 
think that others can benefit from the response, I'll re-post it here.

(Then again, with me going to KansasFest next week, I won't be checking 
my e-mail that often...so perhaps during Kfest, asking here on csa2 will 
get you the quickest response.)

So, here's the latest question, along with my long and rambling 
answer...

 >I'm just curious what the best color printer would be for the IIgs
 >(that has drivers avail.)

Since all of our eyes see things differently, I don't know that there's
really a simple answer that I can give you to that question.

There's also not a simple answer to the question because a lot depends on
the type of paper you use. So, even if you bought the most expensive color
ink jet printer available, and then used it with paper that costs $3.00 a
ream, the output might look awful.

But, Harmonie supports the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet line of printers, and
thousands of Apple IIGS users are thrilled with the results they get with
those. However, there must be 5 or 10 different DeskJet models currently 
being sold, and only you can decide which one would best for you.

Take the test. Visit an HP dealer, and look at the various models. They are
all set up at dealers to print out a sample page. Do that, and let your eyes
be the judge. Also, if you possibly can, try the sample print outs using 
a variety of different paper types...such as real cheap paper, expensive 
clay coated paper, and ink jet paper. 

Where I live, lots of the massive Office Depot types of warehouse stores 
are HP printer dealers, and there's never a salesperson anywhere in 
sight, but there's always plenty of different paper samples laying 
around. That means that no one is around to pressure you, so try 
as many different printers and types of paper as you have patience for.  

That said, Harmonie's DeskJet drivers support 300 dpi for color printing,
and 600 x 300 dpi for black and white printing. Basically, that's the
resolution offered these days by the lower cost 'bottom of the line'
DeskJets. So, don't even look at the more expensive DeskJets.

Then again, if money is an object, Alltech Electronics (619-724-2404) 
often gets clones of older HP DeskJet models that they sell for as little 
as $59. A few weeks ago, they had a clone of the DJ 550c that they were 
selling for that price. And, since Harmonie and the IIGS can't take 
advantage of the higher resolution offered by the current top of the line 
DeskJets, I think it's safe to say that most IIGS owners would be 
absolutely thrilled by the output offered by one of Alltech's $59 ink 
jet printers. Especially if they're been using an ImageWriter.

One more point...have you ever heard a single IIGS owner complain about 
_any_ model of DeskJet that they've connected to a IIGS? I don't think I 
have...

Joe Kohn