Jim Phillips wrote:

> Richard Gambrell <[log in to unmask]> writes:
> > Something I've been meaning to ask: What are folks doing for laser
> > printing and handling things like invoices and such.  We still use the
> traditional
> > line printer based mailers with the internal carbons.  With these mailers
> > you just print them, remove the perfs, separate them, and mail 'em.  How
> > can we replace these with laser printed, cleanly designed forms, but that
> > retain (or improve) the simple convenience of the mailer.
>
> First, let me clarify:  we are currently printing our shipping paper work
> (Bills-of-lading and such) using QueryCalc as the report writer/forms
> generator.  However, we plan on doing the same thing for our invoices.  But,
> as one of those companies still stuck in the paper world, we will just print
> the paper work and still use window envelopes to mail them out.

<sig hat>
this is a bit of a concern with me -- the prevailing notion that *all* printing
needs can be wonderfully solved with a laser printer.  it's just not true.  imo,
there is no successful way to produce accounting's 'canary' copy and shipping's
'green' copy on a laser...particularily if you consider that with an impact
printer all these copies are being produced with one printer run.

don't misunderstand -- i think being able to printer to a laser off the 3000 is
a wonderful thing and there are numerous software solutions (including wirt's)
that make laser printing just that much better.  my point is -- it's not
necessarily a good idea to up-end a well-functioning business method just to
embrace the 'new kid on the block' (think of sap!)

sig sysman considers impact printing to still be vital and necessary on the
3000.  that's why the sysman ballot (coming soon to a web site near you :-) has
these two items:
 - Improve HP3000 printing capability by supporting the Centronics parallel
interface on MPE.
 - Implement the CIPER protocol on all supported printer interfaces (serial,
parallel, SCSI and network).

(these should sound reasonable familiar :-)
</sig hat>

           - d

--
Donna Garverick     Sr. System Programmer
925-210-6631        [log in to unmask]

>>>MY opinions, not Longs Drug Stores'<<<