• Re: printer purchases

    From Eli the Bearded@*@eli.users.panix.com to comp.os.linux.misc,comp.periphs.printers on Sun Aug 3 18:51:50 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.periphs.printers

    Adding comp.periphs.printers cross-post.

    In comp.os.linux.misc, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
    Screw inkjets ... invest in color laser.

    I buy B&W lasers. Color seems surperfluous to my day to day printing
    needs.

    Yes, the good inkjets are still better at
    ultra-high-qual photos ... but we're talking
    a relatively narrow segment here.

    I thought dye-sublimination printers where better at high-end. Someone
    gave me a portable Cannon dye-sub as a gift some years ago ("Selphy").
    Very nice prints, but $$$ each, so I never bought more supplies for it
    after the in-box ones ran out.

    This thread (from pre-AI commentator days) suggests dye-sub is better
    for the narrow case of a photo sized photo and high-end inkjet better
    for varied sizes:

    https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/1941290

    Which makes some sense, because dye-sub requires "ink" rolls as wide as
    the output.

    Anyway, I print letter sized black and white at high volume[0], and
    outsource all my color printing[1] and oversize printing[2]. The Brother
    laser printers are cheap and reliable and ink jet printing has made me
    sad since I saw how it worked on my first one, purchased in the early
    1990s.

    [0] Ever see a Brother laser printer give the "time to replace the drum"
    message? The second time it does that, it's about to say "time to
    replace the fuser" and new drum + new fuser costs more than a new
    Brother laser printer. So second drum is when I replace the printer.
    Most people I see talking about printers marvel about how many years
    they get on a single toner pack, while I have a stockpile.

    [1] Small runs go to Kinkos, large runs go to PS Print. PS Print also
    does the sticker rolls.
    https://qaz.wtf/qz/blosxom/2021/07/09/roller-box

    [2] Think "blue print size" output, aka "reprographics": A1 metric /
    Arch-D US. Those go to Kinkos for same day small run or ABC Imaging
    for (next day) large runs. About half the time the ABC deliveries
    came by bike messenger. I'm impressed with him hauling 20+ pound
    rolls of paper on San Francisco hills.

    Elijah
    ------
    still considering buying a printer for local oversize output
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