[ale] Need Tractor Feed Dot Matrix printer

Jeff Hubbs hbbs at comcast.net
Wed Dec 8 23:33:23 EST 2004


It's an understandable question if you haven't lived through the
transition from impact printers to laser printers and inkjet printers.

Basically, impact printers (of which dot-matrix printers are a subset,
technicaly) can be butt-fast (a certain DEC printer I used to run could
fill up a room pretty quickly if you sent it a few K of form feeds), can
bang out carbon and carbonless copies and keep them attached, and can
make print-through hidden carbons (the kind that you get in the mail and
rip the ends off to see the letter inside - you tell the printer to lift
the ribbon).  Some of the printers I've used will create barcodes in
their firmware for you.  As said elsewhere, consumables are cheap on a
per-page basis.

They can be expensive.  The ones that have been in production for a long
time are quite rugged - that's really what you're paying for.  

Jeff

On Wed, 2004-12-08 at 20:50, Parker McGee wrote:
> Forgive me for my ignorance and off-topicness, but what is the benefit
> to these printers over say a normal inkjet printer?
> 
> 
> On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 16:26:03 -0500, Nathan J. Underwood
> <ale1 at cybertechcafe.net> wrote:
> > I've got some Okidata's lying around that I've not gotten around to
> > putting on ebay yet.  They're black and white only (no color).  Email me
> > off board if you're interested.
> > --
> > registered linux user # 73046
> > 
> > Nathan J. Underwood
> > Cyber Tech Cafe' <><
> > http://www.cybertechcafe.net
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Allan Neal wrote:
> > > I have an old ALPS (Epson compatible) 24 pin color dot matrix.  Not sure the
> > > exact model anymore, but I believe it will do everything you require.  I even
> > > have about a reem worth of tractor feed paper for it.
> > >
> > > Let me know if you are interested.
> > >
> > > Allan
> > >
> > > On Wed, Dec 08, 2004 at 02:58:39AM -0500, Bob Toxen wrote:
> > >
> > >>I'm looking for an inexpensive Dot matrix printer that has
> > >>Tractor Feed and Friction Feed that will work on both 8.5 x 11 paper
> > >>(actually 9.5 inches wide including the tear off parts with holes)
> > >>and "1 up address labels" and has parallel port support.
> > >>
> > >>(My old one finally died after a measly 18 years and it's time to spit
> > >>out labels for monthly billing.)
> > >>
> > >>I don't care whether it's used or new but looking for impact rather than
> > >>ink jet (due to cost of refills).
> > >>
> > >>Anybody want to sell me one or point me at a store?
> > >>(I know about MicroSeconds, Freys, and MicroCenter)
> > >>
> > >>THANKS!
> > >>Bob Toxen
> > >>bob at verysecurelinux.com               [Please use for email to me]
> > >>http://www.verysecurelinux.com        [Network&Linux/Unix security consulting]
> > >>http://www.realworldlinuxsecurity.com [My book:"Real World Linux Security 2/e"]
> > >>Quality Linux & UNIX security and SysAdmin & software consulting since 1990.
> > >>
> > >>"Microsoft: Unsafe at any clock speed!"
> > >>   -- Bob Toxen 10/03/2002
> > >>_______________________________________________
> > >>Ale mailing list
> > >>Ale at ale.org
> > >>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> > >
> > >
> > > 
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > 
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