🚀 go-pugleaf

>We here at Castleton State College are trying to figure out a way to charge
>students back for laser printing.  We have both macs and pc's ; some of our
>lasers are connected to our vax server; some are on appletalk networks.  Our
>dream system would allow the student to either enter a code or zip an id
>through a reader and be automatically charged for the laserprints from some
>sort of a declining balance type system.  The closest thing I have found so far
>is a device that attaches to the laser printer which takes coins.  The laser
>won't print untill the enough coins to cover the print job are inserted.  The
>only problem with this system occurs when two people send a print job at once.
>Since the device has no idea which print job is which, students would have to
>just put money in and hope they were paying for their print job.  That is
>almost completely unacceptable to us.  I was curious how (and if ) laser prints
>were being charged for on your campuses, and what sort of system you were
>using.  Your response will be greatly appreciated.
>I thank you for your time and help in advance.
>
>Jim Pinkerton, Research Assistant, Computing Services, Castleton State College,
>Castleton,  Vermont   USA.
>
>

You posed an interesting question, so I checked on what we do here.

1.  We have our laser printers in a controlled access control room with
someone on duty during the hours the student labs are open.  This staff
checks in and checks out computers, etc.

2.  If the student anticipates using the laser printers on a regular basis,
a card is available for their use.  The card covers 30 copies and the charge
is 10 cents a copy.  If the student anticipates very little activity, he/she
may purchage copies at 30 cents a copy.

3. The student generates copy to be sent to the printer.  In due course the
student goes to the window and indicates that copy should be available.  The
staff member picks up the copies and charges the student as appropriate.
The ticket is punched.

This seems to be somewhat cumbersum, but does have some very definite
advantages:

1.  The printers are in a controlled enviroment.  This should result in a
low theft level.
2.  Since the printers are in a controllled environment, the maintenance
should be better that it would likely be in an open lab.
3.  The student is paying for the material sent through the printer, thus
recovering at least some of the costs of maintenance, toner, and paper.


Hope this is of benefit.  I would like any feedback on this one.

John E. Breden