[dba-Tech] The walking dead

Hi Jim

A sad story. But the main reason for not using such printers is the cost of
the multilayer paper. Another is the lack of speed, and a third is the
noise.

In fact, you see the same for the current very cheap inkjet printers. New
cartridges may cost more than a new printer, so why not trash it when ink is
out?
At home we have a very nice Samsung SCX-4500W laserprinter bought five years
ago, but we print so little that the original toner cartridge is still in
service. We do have a spare but when that should run empty, the printer may
be ten years old and probably obsolete, though fully operational.

/gustav


-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] På vegne af Jim Lawrence
Sendt: 1. november 2013 15:32
Til: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Emne: Re: [dba-Tech] The walking dead

Hi Gustav:

As mentioned before, I still have a couple of clients that are using
dot-matrix printers but that list will be down to one by the end of the
week. Just over a year ago I threw out a dozen Documax printers, probably
the best dot-matrix printers ever built.

(http://dls3.wspan.com/gomerge/secure/webhelp/datasouth/DSA3300.htm) 

I could not even give them away and definitely could not sell them. Finally
I had to clear my garage for the car. These matrix printers, were build
heavy, fully programmable, all steel and would definitely survive WW III. It
was sad to see them go...a real waste but no one wanted them even though I
had put ads out on all the free lists.

There are still a number of offices that use the fax machine but even that
is being replaced by email faxes. By the time my generation completely
retires the fax will too.

I have no idea what IE has been doing lately as I have not used in it the
better part of a year. ;-)

All these technologies will linger on for years but they will never be a
major force again and that is what I think was the direction of the article.

Jim  

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gustav Brock" <Gustav at cactus.dk>
To: dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com
Sent: Thursday, 31 October, 2013 2:53:36 PM
Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] The walking dead

Hi Jim

Yes, once again a nonsense-bla-bla blob on Tech Republic.

Matrix printers are still in use in one business (which this Jack youngster
probably doesn't even know exists): Shipping.

We have a client running three Lexmark gunships ... they work all day, have
done for years, and if you study the mechanics, it is a built for a lifetime
of a human and will survive a Third World War. And why? Because when
shipping to "outer" zones like most of Africa you just need papers with a
lot of copies for all sorts of stamps and approvals. Print the AWB and it
works.

As for VHS and pagers, these are long gone at least in this part of the
World. Fax is not, again in one business: Travel Agencies. Many small hotels
and resorts in distant areas at exotic places have only simple telefone
lines and small budgets.

Regarding his comment on Internet Explorer, he is plain wrong.

/gustav


>>> stuart at lexacorp.com.pg 31-10-13 20:01 >>>
Generally true, but there is still a place for dot matrix!


On 31 Oct 2013 at 12:44, Jim Lawrence wrote:

> Here is a good start list of programs that are part of the "Walking 
> Dead" and should be tossed as soon as possible.
> 
> I must admit I still have sites with XP but will be either moving them 
> to Linux or Windows 7, depending on what the client wants. For a more 
> complete list of the toxic brew of the dead and dying, check out the link:
> 
>
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-tech-products-that-belong-to-t
he-walking-dead/?tag=nl.e101&s_cid=e101&ttag=e101&ftag=TRE684d531
> 
> Jim