Re: //e question

[valthoff@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Victoria M Althoff)]

In article <CHCyyw.JFn@srgenprp.sr.hp.com> gtaylor@sad.hp.com (Glenn Taylor) wr
ites:
>
>Hi!  A friend at work wants to add a printer to an Apple //e computer.
>
>What kind of printers work well with the //e?  Is the HP DeskJet a suitable
>printer for an Apple //e?  What about other brands?  Will she need to buy a
>Centronics parallel interface card?  Or does the //e come with a parallel
>port built in?
>
>Thanx in advance for any answers!
>
>- Glenn

Hokay, let's investigate ][e printography!
First, the ][e does not have any interface built in.  Sorry!
Second, if you want to follow official Apple post-AppleWorks protocol, you need
to get a Super Serial Card, and an Apple serial printer (ImageWriter, Scribe, 
etc.)

That said, there are other, probably better, options.

If you want compatability with virtually all software out there, get a printer 
that supports the Epson MX-80 command set (most in the IBM world do), and a 
basic parallel interface.  Then configure your software for EPSON MX-80 and APL
BOARD interface.

Of course, the Epson/APL combo was standard for many years.  The other standard
was an Orange Micro Grappler+ with an Apple DMP (or equivalent).  Very hard to 
go wrong there; plus the Grappler can give you a full screen dump with very 
little effort.

I have a garden-variety (actually, I think it's an MPC) parallel card, and a 
Panasonic KX-P1180 printer.  It works great, and my Fontrix program can handle 
it just fine.  I also use Apple Writer ][e, which can handle ANY printer, since
it doesn't have any printer command support built in (you have to type the 
commands right into the document).

As for the latest generation of ink-jet and laser printers, look at the ones 
built for MS-DOS machines; steer clear of the ones built especially for 
Macintosh.  You DO NOT want a printer that requires that you speak PostScript.
You need a printer that can accept standard ASCII data, and print it plainly.  
Which printer you get is really not important.  Just get one that suits your 
needs, and get an appropriate interface.  I suggest a parallel printer and 
card, mostly becasue those printers and interfaces tend to be cheaper than 
their serial counterparts, but you can't put the printer in the next county 
like you can with serial...you're limited to about 15 feet.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.