Originally Posted by
tentseller
Some decision are hardware driver driven:
I still have one machine on my network running 98SE with parallel port outputs to a still working tabloid size laser printer and a XY pen plotter modified to use Sharpies. It is stable and during weekly maintenance and B/U it is rebooted.
The plotter is great for superimposing change orders onto drawings with different colours. To replace the tabloid printer with the multiple input and output options is over $4k+
I will keep at least one XP box for it is running drivers for my Nikon 9000 Scanner.
No need to buy new fruits every time there is a new crop.
Cool.
I had an E-size plotter running at one time. It was a Calcomp and this one used Calcomp's own language; couldn't handle HPGL. Fortunately, the Calcomp User's Group had a free utility to convert, so I could use it.
It only had a serial input, so I used some old 386 running Lantastic-Z - I'd dump the files to him (oooh! Parallel port! Fast!). He'd do the conversion and drive the plotter while I got back to work. Some plots took hours.
Lots of people use older computers for various things; phone service, print servers, etc. Don't need the speed, just compatible hardware. And, of course, systems that can talk to one another.
Curious about that tabloid laser. I picked up an HP 5SI a few years ago that handles 11x17. Stumbled across it for $35, as I recall, and added their ethernet adapter. It now sits on a cat5 cable and prints for everybody.
Two weeks ago, I picked up a bare-bones computer on a whim. Turned out to be a
[email protected] GHz, two CD/DVD/R/W drives, 400W power supply, etc. Stuck in some of my memory and up it came. Good COA sticker, too.
Oh yeah - the price. Twenty-five cents. Try that with an Apple.
