Re: running dot matrix printers in Linux
On Thu, Sep 20, 2001 at 09:16:19PM +0800, Paolo Alexis Falcone wrote:
| Hello:
|
| I've checked the printer compatibility list, and most printers that
| are listed are either inkjet or laser printers. Is there any way to
| print using dot matrix printers? I still have an old Epson LX-300
| printer on my desk - would appreciate if it would work in Linux. I
| also have an HP Deskjet 670c but the prohibitive cost of HP ink
| cartridges here in the Philippines is quite a turn off. Any help on
| this?
Many modern printers (especially inkjet) require certain data streams
in order to print something. For example, Apple laser printers
require Postscript. Many new inkjets require PPA (some half-baked
proprietary win-modem style protocol). This is why there are the
filters and compatibility lists.
In the "old" days, however, printers simply took a stream of ASCII
characters and dumped them to the page. Some printers would
understand certain escape sequences to set some proprerties (but these
were non-printing characters anyways). Since you have an old dot
matrix printer it should work just fine as long as you have a filter
than can convert from Postscript to plain-text. Most Unix programs
can output postscript which is why you need that translation. If you
have a good enough printer and filter you may even be able to get
graphics and different fonts (as graphics) to print reasonably.
HTH,
-D
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