@HEADLINE = Laser Printers Arrive

@DECKHEAD = Speedier, Less Costly Laser Printers Are Changing the 
Computer Business

@BYLINE = by Joseph Smith

@CREDITLINE = Joseph Smith pioneered the publishing revolution by 
being the first to use the phrase Professional Publishing.<><$&Frame 
1[v]><>

@FIRSTPAR = A<|>s laser printers gain more attention with lower prices, 
higher speeds and quality output, high-end dot-matrix printers are 
starting to lose some of their appeal.

Though PC users are still buying dot-matrix printers, the laser printer 
is giving them an alternative to think about, according to industry 
observers.

Laser printers, though relatively expensive, are being used more in 
networked environments where the distributed use of the printer justifies 
the expense, several analysts said. The non-impact printers also catch 
user interest because they are less noisy, offer sharper graphics 
(commonly 300-by-300 dots per inch) and can produce from eight to 
10 pages per minute.

@SUBHEAD = Competing Technologies

@BULLET = Daisy Wheel

@BULLET = Dot Matrix

@BULLET = Laser printers

@BULLET = Laser printers with write-white engines and copier options, 
using dry powder toner.

Laser printers still have a few areas that could be improved, according 
to George Jones, a key industry analyst. He noted that there are no 
standards in controllers for laser printers and but the cost of using 
a laser is now less than a dot matrix on a cost-per-copy per minute 
basis.

The laser printer provides sharper graphic images, Jones noted, and 
the laser now has the wealth of software support dot-matrix printers 
have always enjoyed. So, if a user moves to a laser printer from a 
dot-matrix printer <169>he can run much of his graphics software and 
get better graphics resolution,<170> Jones said.

<169>The next step is developing generic graphics drivers which support 
lasers at 300-by-300 resolution. That's when you will see a huge impact 
on dot-matrix printers, both in price and the number of units shipping,<170> 
he said, adding that it will be a year to 18 months before this happens.

Jones was quick to point out that he never sees dot-matrix printers 
disappearing. <169>Multiple-part forms are still important, and an 
impact printer is needed for that.<170> He also noted that people 
will always want hard copies for their files or interoffice memos, 
and the quickest, most cost-efficient way of doing that is through 
a low-cost dot-matrix printer<197>without having to wait in line for 
a share laser printer. Current sales figures seem to bear Jones out. 
In its June 1985 Store Board Survey, market-research firm Laser Computing 
of Alamo, Texas, polled over 600 computer specialty stores finding 
that, while laser-printer sales are up, they have not eclipsed dot-matrix 
printers.

Laser Computing analyst Todd Wiggins said he expects dot-matrix printers 
to continue competing with laser printer in the future. He also said 
the two technologies can work well together. <169>If you've got a 
laser shared by six to 10 people, you may still have dot-matrix printers 
for drafts of your own work. I think there's room for both [types] 
for a while,<170> he said.

As the prices of laser printers fall, more PC users may choose them 
over dot-matrix printer. Wiggins said the current value of the laser-printer 
market is about $450 million, expected to grow to about $2.2 billion 
by 1990.

Bill James product marketing manager with Acme Hardware which produces 
impact as well as non-impact printers, said both have a category in 
which they're most efficiently used.

He said dot-matrix printers are suited for <169>fast utility output, 
like internal documents, and for operational documents such as multi-part 
forms used with invoices. These are things that you don't need full-font 
printer for.

As for laser-printer applications, James said they are good in areas 
<169>where people don't need multiple-part forms, where they need 
to output data with high quality and speed<197>like in a group doing 
systems programming or an accounting department.<170>