Re: Your Thoughts on Printer Replacement

[Fred <fred@blakemfg.com>]

On 9/18/21 2:00 AM, Jonathan Dowland wrote:
> On Sat, Sep 18, 2021 at 10:38:03AM +0200, Klaus Singvogel wrote:
> > Charles Curley wrote:
> > > I print rarely. Inkjet or laser? Or other? The carts on the L7700 tend
> > > to go bad before they empty,
> >
> > Rarely printing? I would suggest a laser
>
> I agree. Toner doesn't spoil sat there doing nothing for long periods of
> time, whereas the ink for inkjets can do.
> The next question then becomes: mono or colour?
>
> > Brand? The situation current is this, that only HP released their printer
> > drivers as Open Source (at least 99% of them).
>
> The direction of travel for printing is entirely driverless, so this is
> less important than it used to be. And indeed, driverless printing is a
> lot less of a headache to administrate, IMHO, than drivered - even with
> open source drivers.
>
> If I were looking for a new laser printer today I'd look at Lexmark (on
> a recommendation from a friend), the firmware for which is apparently
> based on Yocto Linux.
Hello,
I have a Lexmark E260dn which has Postscript, double side, Ethernet and 
USB, parallel, monochrome.  It usually works fine but apparently the 
toner stirrer doesn't work well.  The toner light comes on occasionally 
requiring the toner cartridge to be removed and shaken.  The printer is 
all plastic and not very expensive but the toner cartridges are a bit 
expensive.  The cartridge has a sensor built in that keeps up with the 
number of copies so you can't refill the cartridge as there is no way to 
reset the sensor.  You have to use Lexmark's exchange program.  I don't 
know if it needs drivers to work with CUPS.  I just ftp files to it and 
it always prints them.

I read on this list a few years ago that the best printers are used HP 
office models.

Best regards,
Fred