In <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes:

> RE:
>
> > If CSY doesn't diligently work to produce the most
> > excellent, the most capable, the most transparently simple system possible,
> > then we will all lose, HP'er, consultant, vendor, third-party software
> > developer, and end-user alike. Arguing for any other path is one that pushes
> s
>
> Agreed.  Ron and I, I think, are saying: hey, if you have a chance to
> spend resources working on duplicating an existing product *or* on
> something new...spend it on something new.

I'd be one of the last to argue against that, however; HP3000s MUST have a
"supported" means of PRINTING. Even if that's just

HP3000 -> HP Jetdirect -> HP Printer

(and I don't view going back to serially-connected printers via DTCs as a
viable or acceptable option; ESPECIALLY for high end systems)

The current printers you can buy today DON'T work (at least not reliably).
Problems range from annoying console messages, to the inability to print at
ALL unless you disable page-level-recovery - a function the HP3000 has had for
a LONG time but recently lost. I can speak personally for one site where this
inability has cost thousands of dollars in wasted paper, time, and materials.

We also have ESPUL and couldn't live without it; we use it for all kinds of
things the MPE spooler/printing don't do - and IMHO shouldn't do - but the
fact remains that HP NEEDS to provide a supported (and fully functional)
printing solution (even/especially an ALL-HP solution) for HP3000s. Doing so
doesn't step on the third parties; though IMHO that's irrelevant... You just
can't sell a server that can't print (reliably) to ANYTHING - or all that
output just has to go to the bit-bucket... like our complaints about the
"broken" mpe printing capability seem to be.

          -Chris Bartram