COMPUTER INFORMATION SERIES NO. 2

COMPUTER INFORMATION SERIES NO. 2

To complete your computer system purchase, you'll need to choose

the right printer for your needs. Since there is such a wide variety to

choose from with prices ranging from $120 to $6,000 we need to

look at what each one is, and how much it costs to operate and

maintain.

= Dot-Matrix Printers. These printers print using a series of dots.

There are 9-pin and 24-pin dot matrix printers. A 9-pin will print

9 dots per inch on your paper, where a 24-pin will print 24 dots per

inch on your paper. Naturally, a 24-pin is going to make your print-

out with more detail and clarity because there is more printing per

inch therefore if there is only a small difference in price _ you

should get the 24-pin. Dot-matrix printers don't cost much to

maintain. They use a printer ribbon similar to a typewriter ribbon at

an average cost of $12 each. The ribbon has about the same life

as a typewriter ribbon, so you be the judge as to how long they'll

last you. A dot matrix printer is a perfect investment if you plan to u

se your computer for mailing lists and occasional writing of letters.

There is also a software you can buy called "Emulaser" (purchase

from TigerSoftware for $69.95 by calling 1-800-888-4437) that will

make your dot matrix printer think it's a laser printer. The print-out

will almost be of the same professional quality but your printer will

print much slower. (Emulaser is not recommended for older

computers with a 8086 or similar processor. A minimum of a 286 or

386-based computer system is recommended)

= Daisy Wheel Printers. Don't get stuck with one of these.

Remember the old IBM Selectric typewriters that used a wheel to

type a character instead of a typewriter key?

This is what a daisy wheel printer uses. You can NEVER print a

photograph or picture and it's not too great at drawing lines and

boxes either. Besides, you can get a dot matrix printer for a much

lower price and print anything you want to!

= Inkjet and Bubblejet Printers. Both of these printers use a WET

ink to print onto the paper. There is no danger in smearing because

the ink dries instantaneously _ however, if the printed page draws

moisture or something is spilled on it, you could have a few

problems and have to print the page again. Although they are not

costly to maintain, if you have a mail order business the chances of

ink smearing during the mailing process is greater. Therefore, injet

and bubblejet printers should not be used _ especially for printing

labels to apply to the outside of the envelope.

= Laser Printers. If you plan to do more with your computer than

maintain mailing lists, keep records and write occasional letters;

you will want to seriously look at purchasing a laser printer. A laser

printer hardly ever wears out and is one of the best investments you

can make if you're in for the long-haul. A laser printer is like a mini-

computer. It has a memory board in it and will accumulate an entire

page in it's memory banks BEFORE it prints the page. Just like

making sure you have enough RAM in your computer to operate the

software, you need enough RAM in your laser printer to print a

page. How much memory do you need? If all you wanted to print

was a 1-page letter containing only words you could print it on a

laser printer with 512K of memory. However, if you want to print

that same letter with a graphic (cartoon, photograph, lines, boxes,

etc.) you would need more memory in your printer. The "safe"

amount to purchase would be 1MB but we highly recommend 4MB.

This way, you won't be in any trouble when you are trying to print

something that takes up 2MB of memory and you only have 1MG

on your printer.