| Printers | | | | copies are printed by either carbon paper between the |
| Dot Matrix and other Impact Printers | | | | sheets, or pressure sensitive paper, due to the impact |
| We should not forget the "special case" use which | | | | of the character printing device. Varying success is |
| many operations, such as warehousing still rely on. | | | | achieved by this method of printing, but it is still a |
| Remember the form you had to sign when Fedex | | | | necessary part of business. |
| delivered? At the top was a note which read "PRESS | | | | These printers print one character, or portion thereof |
| HARD YOU ARE WRITING FOUR COPIES". Did that | | | | at a time, and are thus comparatively slower than the |
| form come from a Laser or Inkjet Printer? No way - | | | | laser/inkjet style. Apart from needing special forms, |
| even if you could get the paper to feed without | | | | pre-printed, they have problems with paper feed, and |
| tractors, how many copies do you think would be | | | | print head wear etc. If these forms are what you |
| printed? Just the top one! | | | | need, forget the laser or inkjet, or redesign your forms! |
| To do this with a laser or inkjet printer we would have | | | | Multi-Function or All-In-One Printers |
| to print the same sheet FOUR TIMES! This makes it | | | | These devices have come into their own for home |
| an expensive way to do business, especially as most | | | | users as well as one- or two- person offices. The |
| of this type of printing requires at least one signature, | | | | space saving benefits are well worth it and for less |
| which must be copied to other users. The process | | | | than $100 you can get three or four devices. Starting |
| becomes more complicated if you need to have | | | | out as scanners and printers, it soon became obvious |
| multiple pages going with one item, say a sale form for | | | | you could make a color copier and even add a fax |
| a car, and further complicated if you wish to produce a | | | | machine. Many home users no longer have a use for |
| batch of these “blank” for later use. | | | | printing out faxes, as email has virtually superseded the |
| Some method of stacking the printer output, which can | | | | necessity, not to mention the extra phone line and |
| select groups of 4-6 of the same page, coupled with | | | | associated fees. Businesses still may prefer their "Hard |
| multiple instances of this. Otherwise think of the task of | | | | Copy". |
| arranging say 50 multi part forms. | | | | Another problem with early versions was the fact that, |
| Enter the impact printer (Or more correctly Return). | | | | if your printer broke, then so did your copier and fax. |
| Either with hammers, pins or golfball etc. these printers | | | | However, these devices are very reliable, much |
| strike the paper behind a black or color ribbon, to print | | | | improved since the days of scanner printers these |
| on the top copy of the multi-part paper. The other | | | | days, and this is now a rare occurrence. |
