Re: What do you do with your old computers?

On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:51:58 -0500, SkippyPB <swiegand@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:


>A note to Pete.  About your printing issue.  I recall seeing a Lexmark
>(I believe it was) printer that had a wireless interface built into it
>so that it could be shared by all your computers without the need for
>cabling.  You may want to look into that option if they are available
>in New Zealand.

Wireless printers don't require a print server; it is built into the
printer.

HP makes more than a dozen WiFi printers, beginning with the 6988 for
$129.99 and the 7460
for $149.99. The 7280 for $269.99 adds fax, scanner and two sided
printing. They also talk
USB and Ethernet, and read camera memory cards. Speed and quality are
good. Their
disadvantage is cartridge cost, but it's less expensive than color laser. 

Non-HP printers have problems. Brother MFC-685CW at $198.99 does WiFi,
USB, Ethernet, fax,
scanner and answering machine. Speed and quality are poor.  Lexmark X9575
at $233.99 has
similar features.  Lexmark's weakness is software; it doesn't support two
clients. 

If you print high volume and want to be an ubergeek, you want a Xerox
Phaser 8560 for
$699. It uses a unique printing technology called Solid Ink that paints
melted plastic on
paper. Cost per page is lower than any other printer, about 2 cents for BW
and 8 cents for
color (versus 15 for inkjet and 25 for laser). Quality is better than
laser printers,
speed about the same, reliability outstanding. These printers have a cult
following. The
only downside is you need to keep it powered up 24 hours a day, to keep
the plastic
liquid. Electricity to do that is included in cost per copy. Wireless
requires an optional
$200 box.