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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!clyde!cuae2!codas!burl!geoff
From: geoff@burl.ATT.COM (geoff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Enhancing an old //e
Message-ID: <1709@burl.ATT.COM>
Date: Tue, 9-Dec-86 09:28:30 EST
Article-I.D.: burl.1709
Posted: Tue Dec  9 09:28:30 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Dec-86 20:07:04 EST
References: <8612082146.AA24953@decwrl.dec.com>
Reply-To: geoff@burl.UUCP (geoff)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany NJ
Lines: 41

In article <8612082146.AA24953@decwrl.dec.com> binder@fizbin.DEC.COM (NOW willya gimme some fightin' room?) writes:
>Unless you need letter-quality printing, buy a good dot-matrix printer with a 
>parallel interface.  They're faster and less expensive, and most of them have 
>enhanced printing modes to produce excellent correspondence-quality output. 
>Parallel cards are also less expensive than serial cards, and they don't
>require any protocol hassles with whatever software you use.  If you do need
>letter quality, you can still buy a parallel printer - there are several
>available now. 
>

I have had an Epson RX+ (100 cps dot matrix) for a while now.  I decided I
needed a letter quality printer.  Our local discount department store
("Brendles") was selling Epson DX-10 Daisy wheel printers for $200.  It
is very slow (10 cps) but it produces some very pretty text.  I added a cut-
sheet feeder for $60, so if I need several copies of something I can just
start it printing and go out for the evening.  When I get back, I have a
sheaf of typed pages.  I wouldn't give up my dot matrix printer; it is much
better for drafts and such (the speed!), but the Daisy wheel is great for
correspondence (it still prints at over 100 words/minute, so it beats the
hell out of typing).  Both printers use a parallel interface, so I just
plug the cable into whichever printer I want to use.  A switch would be
nice, but they all seem to run about $80, which is more than I want to
spend when I can plug cables!

>For serial communications, you probably don't need both a serial card and a
>modem - there are several good modems that plug right into the Apple.  With a
>plug-in modem, you pay less than for a two-part system, and you don't have to
>deal with protocol between the two components.  I don't have a modem, so I
>can't recommend any over another.  (MODEM USERS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.)

	Preferred Computing sells an internal 1200 baud modem for $199.  I have
been quite satisfied with other stuff I have bought from them, but I don't
know about this product.

>Cheers,
>Dick Binder   (The Stainless Steel Rat)
-- 

		geoff sherwood
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