Re: [gentoo-user] Buying a low-cost printer for Linux

[Dale]

Mark Knecht wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 11:52 PM, Dale <rdalek1967@×××××.com> wrote:
>
>> Dominic Kexel wrote:
>>
>>> That's right, i totaly agree. If you buy a HP-printer, you (almost) can't do something wrong. I am using a HP Deskjet F2180 (40€). Printing and scanning both work without problems.
>>>
>>> On Wed, 3 Dec 2008 22:00:28 -0800
>>> "Manuel McLure" <manuel@××××××.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> I have a HP Deskjet D4260 that I got from newegg for less than $50.00.
>> It works very well.  Before that I had a little Deskjet 3820 which I had
>> for years.  It finally lost its head.  Turn it on and it just goes from
>> side to side until I cut it off.  The 4260 also has the option of using
>> the hi yield cartridges too.  It can print for a long time without
>> running out of ink.
>>
>> I think if you get a HP printer, you will do all right.  I wouldn't get
>> the latest thing unless I checked for drivers first tho.  Also, to get
>> my old 3820 to work, I googled for the ppd file and put it in the right
>> place for cups.  That was before hplip came out.  I don't remember
>> having to do that with the 4260.
>>
>> Hope that helps give you some ideas.
>>
>> Dale
>>
>>
>
> Thanks Dale, and everyone who suggests HP. This is probably the best
> way to go if he decides to stay with an inexpensive ink-jet.
>
> I'm intrigued by Albert's suggestion to look for a $400 color laser
> printer. It's not a great solution for my house by my Dad's flush so
> he might like that sort of solution.
>
> A question I have about laser printers, from the old days whn I had
> one, is aren't they really pretty bad reliability for low print volume
> applications. My old laser printer, made by some off-brand company
> that was early into the Postscript clone game, was that the rollers
> very quickly got flat spots because we didn't print every day. When we
> would print the paper wouldn't feed correctly and the quality was bad.
> I don't think my Dad is going to print more than 2-3 pages/day on
> average and since they travel now and again it could sit idle for a
> week or two.
>
> I suppose I could make some sort of cron job that printed one page a
> day if that was a reasonable solution.
>
> Very interested in your ideas and greatful for all the responses.
>
> Cheers,
> Mark
>

I have a friend that owned a business that was closed on weekends. 
Every Monday we had to fan the paper and take out the toner cartridge
and give it a little shake.  I have heard that if it is a humid location
that you either have to leave the printer on or print a lot.  The claim
was the toner would start to clump from the moister in the air.  I have
never seen that happen myself.

That was a long time ago and surely by now they have fixed those
"issues".  Laser is good but also keep your light bill in mind.  They do
use a good bit more electricity. 

Dale

:-)  :-)