From: mdl@cypress.com (Matt Landrum)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun.hardware
Subject: Re: comments on hp laserjet 4m & sun's newsprinter 20 sought
Date: 16 Dec 92 22:36:21 GMT
Organization: Cypress Semiconductor Southeast Design Center

In article <1992Dec15.190232.4761@Cigna.COM> dave@Cigna.COM (Dave Good) writes:


   In article <51604@seismo.CSS.GOV> dsc@seismo.CSS.GOV (David S. Comay) writes:
   >
   >we are looking at purchasing either a hp laserjet 4m or an newsprinter 20 from
   >sun for use on our network here.  most of the jobs consists of printouts from

let me first note that the SPARCprinter is different from the newsprinter 20

[...]

   The HP has several advantages over the Sun printer, mainly because of the
   inadequacies of the SnoozePrint(tm) software:
       - SnoozePrint will more than "partially" tie down a printer unless you
	 can afford to hook it to, say, a SPARCstation 2 (or 10) and don't need
	 to use that workstation for any real work.

We have ours on a 670 and it doesn't even hiccup.  If it's on a SPARC 1, it
will crush the machine on large jobs.

       - The SnoozePrinter can't be connected directly to your network (the
	 HP can with an optional JetDirect card)

No, but it is directly connected to the SBUS which means the data gets
there in a hurry.  I don't know what other advantage there might be for
having a printer directly on the network (there probably is some advantage).

       - FONTS! The HP can use standard Type 1 Fonts, which are widely available
	 for (relatively) low prices.  SnoozePrint requires F3 fonts, of which
	 there are only a few sources, and they cost mucho big bucko (2-3 times
	 the cost of the same Type 1 font).

how much is mucho big bucko (seriously)

       - HP has an extremely good reputation for their printers, and has been in
	 the business for over 5 years.  Sun is just getting into the printer
	 business, and if the SPARCprinter is any indication, they may not be
	 in the business much longer.
       - HP maintenance is dirt-cheap and extremely good.  4-hour response 
	 (at least in my area) is only $384/year.
       - SnoozePrint sometimes gets confused while rasterizing.  Figuring out
	 how to fix it is problematic, and usually we just reboot the workstation
	 it's connected to.

I keep hearing of these problems, but our application works like a champ.  4.1.2 and 
NewsPrint 2.0 may be why.

   We had a LaserJet 4 in for evaluation (we ended up buying a IIIsi for its
   speed and capacity) and were quite impressed with it.  On the other hand,
   we have a SPARCprinter that's sitting on a shelf gathering dust.  We've also
   used SnoozePrint on some Talaris T2090s, and desperately wish we could get
   out of our 3-year lease on these and buy some more HP IIIsi's.

I'd like to here more about the IIIsi (speed, price, etc.), meanwhile how
much do you want for that SPARCprinter?

[...]
--


Matt Landrum, CAD Engineer      | e-mail: mdl@cypress.com
Cypress Southeast Design Center | office: (601) 324-4609, FAX - 4614
1 Research Blvd, Suite 200      | "You can get what you want if you
Starkville, MS  39759           | know how to find it." -- Tower of Power
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun.hardware