Donna writes:

> 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
>  a wonderful thing and there are numerous software solutions (including
wirt'
>  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!)

In defense of laser printing (although it's not a burning subject with me),
let me say that because the way laser printing is inherently done, you can
kill one or more birds with the same stone nowadays. While it is true that
the "white" customer copy, the "green" shipping copy, and the "canary"
accounting copy will have to be printed multiple times when using a laser
printer, there's also opportunity in that pain.

You can very easily make this obvious necessity not only print the various
copies but also simultaneously "deliver" them to their respective intended
recipients. The "green" copy can be printed not on a printer in the DP
office, but directly on a printer in the shipping department, just as the
"canary" copy can be printed to the laser printer in accounting.

I've gotten to be a firm believer in distributing printers throughout the
organization's campus, even if the campus extends across the country. Laser
printers are cheap enough and reliable enough to make this architecture work
very well nowadays.

Wirt Atmar