🚀 go-pugleaf

Here are some responses I received to the following query:

"I am looking for an ethernet-attached Postscript laser printer to serve
VAX's running 4.3bsd and VMS, and an IBM 4381 running VM, all of which
are attached to the same ethernet and support TCP/IP. The VMS machine
also supports DECNET.

"We would like a printer that has a higher duty cycle than a LaserWriter
and can print faster than 8 pages per minute.  The IBM, UNIX and VMS
computers must all be able to send prints to it, either directly
through the ethernet (preferred) or using one of the other machines as
a server."

We only found three printers with ethernet interfaces: Xerox 8700/4050,
Imagen, and DEC PrintServer 40.

Xerox wants Interpress via XNS. There is support for typesetter
independent troff to interpress and XNS on 4.3bsd. If the Xerox is also
channel attached, then print jobs sent via ethernet are queued on the
printer's disk until the channel attach is switched offline.
Interpress must be converted to IMG (bitmap) format before printing.
This is done in the 4050 for all but graphics. A separate microvax can
be purchased to act as a server for the 4050 and do the conversion to
IMG for all jobs including graphics. Host software to do this is also
planned.

Imagen wants Impress via TCP/IP. It seems to be the only TCP/IP printer
server. They showed us 5 different printers spanning duty cycles from
3000 pages/mo to 45,000 pages/mo and base prices from $9-33K. The
top-of-the-line machine will automatically print on both sides of the
page if desired.  Spooling software is provided for the host running
Berkeley Unix, or VMS and Wollongong TCP/IP.  It uses the "transport1"
protocol, polling the printer until it is available. Fonts can be
downloaded from the host. PostScript is not supported and the salesman
tried to play down its importance. They supply software to convert
4014, diablo 630, line printer, Impress, FX80, hostdump (hexdump) and
screen dumps from a micro. Software is also available to convert device
independent troff, TeX (DVI), MacDraw, MacWrite and MacPaint. The Mac
product files are converted directly to Impress. Conversion of
PostScript to Impress is in general not possible they say, because for
example, Impress does not support arbitrarily scaled or rotated fonts.
However, they will be releasing a new document description languale
(DDL) around Feb 1988 which they claim will be faster than PostScript
to process, and to which PostScript can be converted.

The DEC PrintServer 40 wants PostScript via DECNET. VMS spooler
software (print symbiont) is available which will also convert ANSI
tex/sixels files, ReGIS files and Tektronix 4010/4014 files to
PostScript before sending them to the printer.  The printer is rated at
40 pages/min and 50,000 pages/mo.

Date: Thu, 12 Feb 87 09:19:00 PST
From: kevin%violet.Berkeley.EDU@BERKELEY.EDU (Kevin Baranski-Walker)

Hello Peter,

I think that the best bet for your server requirements would be the
Digital LPS-40.  Unfortunately it is TCP brain-damaged and will only
talk DECnet on the ether.  You did mention that you may be willing to
drop it off of a host (in this case your VMS machine) but thier may be
hope.  If you can justify/afford a MicroVAX running Ultrix it can serve
as an extremely efficient server host which is able to talk in DECnet
(via DECnet-Ultrix) as well as native TCP.  Use this beast to drive the
LPS-40 and you will gain the ability to implement accounting and
security features for the printer.  I don't have the spec sheet in hand
but the duty cycle was quite lenghty, almost justifying the hefty
price; approx. $48,000 (U.S).  Finally the 40 ppm rating is quite close
to the truth for resident-font/non-compound documents.  As for what
happens when your users start dumping thier favorite scanned images via
PostScript ...  well it does have a uVAX-II processor on board ...

Kevin

Date: 12 Feb 87  1156 PST
From: Les Earnest <LES@SAIL.STANFORD.EDU>

Either the Imagen 3320 or 7320 might suit your needs.  Both are 20
page/minute printers with ethernet option.  They both use the Canon
LBP-20 marking engine, which is a relatively heavy-duty machine.  The
principal difference between the two is that the 7320 does full
duplexing (two-sided printing) and has some other useful paper handling
features.

Imagen sales people in Santa Clara, CA could provide more information
or could provide a local contact for you.  Their phone is (408)
986-9400.  For the record, though I am at Stanford, I am also an Imagen
shareholder.

	Les Earnest, Stanford Computer Science


Date: Mon, 16 Feb 87 20:21:42 pst
From: ames!ll-xn!ames!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!bruce@cad.Berkeley.EDU (Bruce Stock)
In-Reply-To: your article <8701291545.AA15539@emory.eu>

Peter
	Your requirements are just about exactly what we have been
searching for, in vain, for the last 6 months.  Most Postscript
printers on the market have no ethernet interface.  The new DEC printer
being the only exception that I know of, and it speaks only DecNet!.
	We have had in the QMS 2400, the DataProducts 2665, and the TI
2115.  Compared to the lowly Apple Laserwriter, each printer
printed too lightly or with lines that were too thin for good
contrast.  Boy were we disappointed!  (And this was after having the
vendors come in for final adjustment in each case).  We are just about
resigned to having multiple Apple Laserwriters running off a Bridge
CS-100 (or similar TCP to RS-232 box).  What a drag.  Please advise if
you find a better solution.

			Bruce Stock
			uw-beaver!ssc-vax!bruce


Date: Mon 23 Feb 87 23:15:17-EST
From: Chris Ryland <CPR@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>

The only printers in the world that speak Ethernet & TCP/IP
are the Imagen printers.  Perhaps you can get the VAX to gateway
between TCP/IP and DECNET.