Re: Deskjet vs. StyleWriter, need help!

[hochstrasse@urz.unibas.ch]

In article <1993Apr26.175251.4762@tolten.puc.cl>, maparede@isluga.puc.cl (maparede) writes:
> I am considering buying an inkjet printer for my IIgs AND my PC compatible.
> I don't know WHICH one to buy, though.
> I have the following doubts:
> 
> 1. Does the Deskjet work with the PC AND the IIGS? (would I be able to share
> them ?)
> 2. Same for the StyleWriter....
> 3. Which one is better (i.e. faster)
> 4. I have seen a Deskjet for about $200, why is it so cheap? (What's wrong with
> it ?)
> 5. Do the drivers for each of these exist?
> 
> Many thanks in advance.
> 
> Mauricio Paredes
> a.k.a. Zep

Well, according to my personal experience I can tell you the following:

- If you just stay with your GS and PC, I think DeskJet is best.
  You can connect your GS through the serial port and the PC through
  the parallel port of the DeskJet. I'm just not sure wether the DeskJet
  works when it's connected to a turned-off PC (PCs are tricky in this
  respect, ask a PC expert...) BUT YOU MUST TAKE CARE NOT TO PRINT FROM
  BOTH MACHINES SIMULTANEOUSLY (forbidden in the DeskJet manual)

- If you plan t add a Mac to your computer collection, consider that
  up to now there is no color printing driver for any DeskJet Cs for
  Macs. (BTW color printing from a Mac to a DeskWriter C is just fabulous...)
  There are however third party DeskJet drivers for the Mac but they don't
  support grayscale printing...(At least not PowerPrint, which I know)

- DeskJet models:
   DESKJET: very few internal fonts (only Courier) which doesn't matter
            for the GS, but perhaps for the PC. No sideways printing
            in text-only printing (landscape mode on GS does work)
            Very obsolete since the days of DeskJet 500 (in PCdom...)
            That's the reason why it's cheap.
   DESKJET 500: More internal fonts (good for the PC) sideways printing
            is possible in text mode

   Both models offer crisp 300 dpi printout (with the right paper...) and
   are mechanically almost identical. Have a serial AND parallel port. Print
   very fast in text mode. Printout speed in graphics mode limited only
   by the IIGS...

   DESKJET 500 C: Offers color printing (up to now only from a PC, drivers
            included; Vitesse color driver for GS has been announced...)
            Drawback: You have to change ink cartridges in order to
            print true black and color in one document...
   DESKJET 550 C: Newest and hottest in the PC world (and most expensive...)
            No need of cartridge change to print true black and color
            in same doc.
  
As you can see from the above, there are drivers for GS (Vitesse Harmonie and
Seven Hills' Independence) and PC (included with printer, for several programs
and Windows).
I don't know whether you can connect a StyleWriter to a PC nor can I give you
speed comparisons.
So this one got bigger than intended. Hope you can use the info...

--Urs

|  BRIGHT SOFTWARE          |  * A P P L E   I I   F O R E V E R *  |
|  Urs Hochstrasser         |  Actually in Development: C H E M I X |
|  Strassburgerallee 79     |  Pseudo:   CodeBurger (binary sauce)  |
|  4055 BASEL, SWITZERLAND  |  InterNET: HOCHSTRASSE@URZ.UNIBAS.CH  |