Path: csiph.com!weretis.net!feeder9.news.weretis.net!panix!.POSTED.panix5.panix.com!qz!not-for-mail From: Eli the Bearded <*@eli.users.panix.com> Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: printer purchases Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2025 18:51:50 -0000 (UTC) Organization: Some absurd concept Message-ID: References: <106n49s$5c$1@reader1.panix.com> Injection-Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2025 18:51:50 -0000 (UTC) Injection-Info: reader1.panix.com; posting-host="panix5.panix.com:166.84.1.5"; logging-data="29933"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@panix.com" User-Agent: Vectrex rn 2.1 (beta) X-Liz: It's actually happened, the entire Internet is a massive game of Redcode X-Motto: "Erosion of rights never seems to reverse itself." -- kenny@panix X-US-Congress: Moronic Fucks. X-Attribution: EtB XFrom: is a real address Encrypted: double rot-13 Xref: csiph.com comp.os.linux.misc:70299 comp.periphs.printers:4726 Adding comp.periphs.printers cross-post. In comp.os.linux.misc, c186282 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