Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Picking out a printer. Questions.

[Dale]

Frank Steinmetzger wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 22, 2019 at 09:54:21AM -0500, Dale wrote:
>
>> The biggest reason I wanted laser is the cost of ink.  The second
>> reason, longevity of the ink once it is on paper.  From my
>> understanding, once the toner is set on the paper, water won't make it
>> come off like it does on a lot of inkjets, I think a few inkjets have
>> special ink that doesn't but never seen one. 
> Well, I read a short while ago in a printer review of a computer magazine,
> that ink may actually be better in the long-term, because the ink is infused
> into the paper matrix (as a character on Star Trek would say). Whereas laser
> toner is only put on the surface on the paper an could be scratched off
> mechanically. You would need lasting pigments of course, not of the kind
> that fades with time or exposure to light.
>
> FWIW, I have an HP LaserJet 1000, bought around 2004. It has been acting up
> lately, not always getting recognised on USB. The data cable is actually a
> centronics one with built-in USB convertor. And I don’t really like hplip,
> b/c it’s an extra piece of software that needs to run and it ALWAYS wants to
> re-download the binary firmware blob from the internet whenever I connect
> the printer. Otherwise it wouldn’t print. Back when foo2zjs was still a
> common Gentoo way of printing, this was never an issue.
>
> OTOH, the printer is still on the cartridge it originally came with, albeit
> almost empty now. Probably, back then, those cartridges weren’t as empty as
> today’s starter cartridges. What’s the deal with this, anyway.
>
> FWIF2, even though the die is cast and the printer for this thread is
> purchased, I am also considering a Brother machine. I heard good stories of
> their Linux support. I would also tend towards a network-enabled one with
> postscript support.
>


I to was getting tired of the hplip thingy.  It was giving me grief at
times too.  After each upgrade, I had to delete the printer and add it
back again.  Sometimes I had to do that between each print job as well. 
It seems it was always something screwy with that thing.  While I would
have bought a HP, it wasn't my first or second choice.  More like close
to the bottom with the "I'm a piece of known junk printer" brand.  ;-) 
Brother would likely have been my second choice or third, depending on
price.  I've read they print nicely as well. 

I took the test page and put some water drops on it.  I couldn't get the
toner to come off.  I was scratching the paper pretty good but almost
anything would come off that way.  In the past, I've done the same test
on ink jet pages.  They always started to run shortly after getting
wet.  I've read some photo printers don't have that problem because they
have a different type of ink.  The test I ran with this laser print tho
made me happy.  It passed my test easily. 

I'm just hoping I can get at least ten years out of this printer.  20
would make me really happy.  By then, supplies may be a issue too. 

Dale

:-)  :-)