Mac Laser Jet Up Rev

Date: Fri, 29 May 1992 04:18:35 -0400 (EDT) From: Richard Sucgang <rs54@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> Subject: Mac/LaserJet UpRev v1.1 This is an update to the current article in info-mac/report It should replace the file mac-laser-jet-up-rev.txt. The Mac/LaserJet UpRev is a review kept current which addresses the problem of using a Hewlett Packard LaserJet with Macintoshes, concentrating primarily on the original LaserJet series II. This is version 1.1, and is a major revision. More than twice the number of products are described and reviewed. -rich Richard Sucgang : Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology Columbia University (sucgang@cuhhca.hhmi.columbia.edu; de slime god rs54@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu) begin Mac/LaserJet UpRev v1.1: The Uneasy Marriage : using an HP LaserJet series II with a Macintosh Introduction: The LaserJet series II is a sturdily built machine, and many of the originals been humming along for quite some time. The one we have in the lab served us quite well for basic word processing with some PC clones for some years. With the arrival of the Macintosh IIsi, however, we were suddenly confronted with the problem of printing using the LaserJet. The option of purchasing a new printer was out of the question, and, in the process of determining the best solution for the current dilemma, I found out that there are many users in similar situations. This documents the different solutions I have found to using a LaserJet II (and other low end models) with a Macintosh in what I call an updatable review: a simple text document with version numbers to keep it up to date. This is version is 1.1, first released on May 28, 1992. There are many new revisions in this version, particularly descriptions of some new products, and very helpful responses from other people. While I probably did not expend much time programming this, I did spend quite some time researching and calling and writing to companies and reading to write this, so, if this up-rev has helped you, please drop me a line. If you have any further information, please forward them to me. Contact information at the end of this document. In the future, I plan to write this into a Hypercard stack, so hang in there! Background: The primary obstacle in getting older LaserJets to communicate with a Macintosh is that Macintoshes communicate with laser printers primarily using PostScript, Adobe's industry standard page description language, and Hewlett-Packard pioneered the use of PCL as the page description language of LaserJets. Officially, HP never intended the original LaserJet series II to interpret PostScript, and, in effect, do not really support it in this respect. HP makes PostScript cartridges as upgrades for the LaserJets IIP and IID, and distributes drivers for them. Call them at (800) 752-0900 (customer service), (208) 323-2551 (printer support), or (303) 353- 7650. Printer drivers are also available at Compuserve under GO HPPER. [thanks to Isako Hoshino (isako@mtl.…