Sep (09-02) Optra S1855 for Pharmacies

September 4, 2002 Editorial

Equipment specials: https://www.argecy.com/Specials.html
Converting to TCP/IP from SNA? Check out this overview for printers: www.argecy.com/Connectivity.html

As the anniversary draws near, I hope that we can all find some way to re-focus on the growth of our economy and a catharsis to allow healing. America's great strength comes from our seriousness and our strict adherence to high goals.

I got my wallet slammed in another bankruptcy. This time for almost k. No matter what a well-meaning and honest dealer does, we still get hurt by the big end users when it hits the fan. This is the second one in a year. Double ouch.

The huge quantity of Optra S 1855's has begun to materialize. They came out of a large retail pharmacy who made a couple of bone-headed moves in the handling of the transaction. Lets just say that the vendors who took them out made significant errors in assumptions and is now faced with trying to turn large numbers of pieces at prices that don't justify the transaction. I also have heard of another transaction involving a bunch of IBM 4317's, but i'm not sure it will make much difference to the market.

Although the interest in them has been waning for years now, the IBM 319x line of terminals has finally been killed by the discontinuance of availability of replacement flyback transformers. There are still many other choices including 3471, 3472, 3476, 3477, 3481, 3482, 3483, 3486, 3487, 3488, 3489. See www.argecy.com/Terminals_and_Displays.html for details.

I've had growing interest in IBM's 2074 controllers to do multiple LPARs. No one i know is terribly happy with the machine but the only alternatives are rack mounted 3174's or Visara's (the old Memorex-Telex, resurrected) version of similar machine. The 2074-001's have been discontinued and the -003's are rather pricey.

Tally has a new line of impact printers which support PCL 2. I haven't heard any feedback yet on the limits of support for the low level of PCL offered, but its certainly a step in the right direction. I'll keep you posted as I learn more. Meanwhile, our impact printer conversion kits with full IPDS passthrough support have gotten tacit approval from IBM. They have tested our kits and prefer them over other alternatives. Their I-data based 7913 is too tough to configure, so this may be their preferred product instead. I hope so.

The skinny on the new IBM 2085 and 2105 has been positive. They will provide interesting collisions with the InfoPrint 70's. Konika has a 75ppm laser which may be a comer. Their experience in the copier environment certainly gives them credibiltiy. The PSI (Printer Systems International) series of impact printers (one has a cutter that turns continuous forms into cut-sheets) and continuous forms lasers may deserve some attention. Call for more information.

Work harder. Buy smarter. Make what you have last longer....

Tough to find:
4322 InfoPrint 21� they weren't in the market long and now they are like hen's teeth.
Internal Ethernet for the whole 43xx family lasers don't hold your breath.
Lexmark Optra T610, T612, T614, T616.
IBM twinax impact printers in the 4230 family � especially IPDS versions.
DEC LA series impact printers (There are a few choices in software for lasers, but no good solutions for impact)

Not so easy:
IBM 6400's, especially with ethernet and IPDS.
IBM 6262's-A machines (everyone wants to go ASCII/IP).

Good supply
IBM 3112 or 3912 � inexpensive workhorse with IPDS support
IBM 4320-001's. I took out almost 80 pieces, some were new in box.
IBM 4317-001 � still whittling down the huge supply � features are the only real problem.
IBM 6262, most models
IBM 3900, 4000�s
Genicom 3470 � New in box = less than the IBM gets for theirs.
Lexmark Optra 1855�s � see above
Lexmark Optra E�6ppm desktop lasers are a steal at @ with supplies