🚀 go-pugleaf

Regarding DeskJet+.

I often hear people mention the DeskJet+ is slow relative to a laser printer.
Do remember that this is in regards to text printing, where the DeskJet+
is 2 pages per minute (with a tailwind) and laser printers start at
4 pages per minute.  However, the DeskJet+ is in general faster than
laser printers when printing graphics (about 1 page per minute for the
DeskJet+, often 1 page per 2 minutes for laser printers).  There are
some factors that confuse the issue here, but in general the DeskJet+
is fast in printing 300DPI graphics.  The main confusion is the existance
of certain software drivers that send graphics to the DeskJet+ in
ways that have no effect on laser printers (and in fact may speed up
the laser printers) but can greatly slow down the DeskJet+.  The main
culprit is drivers that try to "data compress" by continually changing
graphics margins.  When ever graphics margins change the DeskJet+ must
print out any graphics at the old margins, and then start storing graphics
at the new margins.  This results in printing graphics using only several
nozzles per pass.  If you see an application sending graphics DeskJet+ 
and the printer is not printing with all of its nozzles (about 1/6 of
an inch of graphics per pass), or if the application is not keeping
the printer printing all the time, call the software vendor.  The
DeskJet+ is not slow in graphics -- PC Magazine said it was the faster
graphics printer they tested, including all the laserprinters.

My personal opinion on the LaserJet IIP vs. DeskJet+ issue is:

1. Are you doing lots of text, especially greater than 50 pages per
day.  If so, the LaserJet IIP will probably make more sense.

2. Are you primarily printing 300 DPI graphics?  If so, the DeskJet+
will likely be faster and more cost effective.  Remember, the IIP will
require extra RAM to do a page of 300 DPI graphics, adding at least $200
to its cost.

3. Do you do lots of landscape text, and especially want proporitionally
spaced landscape characters and mixed text and graphics in landscape
mode (i.e. from Excel).  The LaserJet IIP is the winner in this category.
The landscape mode in the DeskJet+ is a fixed pitch text only landscape
mode, suitable for printing spreadsheets, but not much more.

4. Do you need to make transparencies?  The DeskJet+ can't do this.
Same thing with labels.  In general, the DeskJet+ only can do labels
and transparencies with the help of a copy machine :-).

The waterfastness issue is a negative on the DeskJet+, but I have
used the printer a lot, and it is really seldom a real problem.  Our
official line is "we are working on the problem", and this is definately
the case.

If you do low volume portrait oriented text, and/or a fair amount of
high resolution graphics, the DeskJet+ is a good little printer --
especially with the rebate.

Dave Neff
neff@hpvcfs1.HP.COM

Disclaimer: I am speaking for myself.  Both the DeskJet+ and the LaserJet IIP
are good printers.  In either case the money goes to a good cause :-).