[NTLUG:Discuss] Recommendation for Lazer Printer?

[Paul M Foster]

Dennis Daupert wrote:
> I have been working without a printer entirely too  long! I'd like to get a cost-effective lazer printer that works well  under linux. I'm looking to do mostly text printing. It would be nice  if the running cost (for toner and such) wouldn't require a second  mortgage. I've looked at the recommended printers page on  www.linuxprinting.org, which gives a lot of info in general. 
>   
>   Does anyone have any specific printer recommendations? 
> 

One printer which is readily available at CompUSA and well-supported 
under Linux is the HP LaserJet 1320. I've installed two of them now. 
Black-and-white laser, 600 dpi, relatively quick, compact footprint. 
Only one drawback to this printer, depending on your needs: the "bypass 
sheetfeed" for odd stock is single-sheet only. On my old LJ 4, this was 
a separate shelf that folded down. If you wanted to print some checks, 
you pulled out the main tray slightly (so the printer couldn't pull from 
it), and put your stock in this tray. But with the 1320, it really only 
accommodates a single sheet. Don't recall the price, but I don't recall 
it being very expensive.

FWIW, I advise against inkjets personally. Two reasons: 1) in the ones I 
have had, the printhead(s) shuttle back and forth just like a 
dot-matrix. They're relatively loud (to me), and very slow. 2) When a 
cartridge runs low or out, you may not know it until your printing 
starts to look like a Rorschach test. A laser is more consistent as its 
cartridge begins to fail, giving you enough time to run out and get a 
new one.

Paul

-- 
Paul M. Foster