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Any xp friendly printers out there still?



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 25th 20, 08:38 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
T
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,600
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD. He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit. He need a new
color printer. Letter size is fine.

You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?

Many thanks,
-T
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  #2  
Old November 25th 20, 11:17 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 603
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 11:38:06, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD. He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit. He need a new


OJ = OfficeJet, i. e. an inkjet?

color printer. Letter size is fine.


Does it have to be colo(u)r?

You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?


I think the parallel port is more likely to be the difficulty than the
XP compatibility these days?

Many thanks,
-T


Last time I looked, at least one company was still making their impact
printers (what most people called "dot matrix", though everything other
than golfball/daisywheel actually uses a matrix of dots) - at a pretty
hefty price! They were more or less the same models from the '80s -
including the parallel port. XP has drivers for them. I don't know if
any _colour_ ones are still in production, though - there never were
that many colour ones. If you _can_ use one of these, they would match
the machine shop atmosphe they're mostly built like a tank, and
despite what people think, capable of fairly good quality output - just
slow (and noisy).

Failing that, and if no-one comes up with other models, you _might_ be
able to find a parallel port to _something_ converter.

Does not the XP computer have any USB ports (or slots for cards)? XP was
quite compatible with USB. [If it does but they're all in use for the
CAD kit, then either an additional card or a (powered if necessary) hub
should suit; that would then still leave you seeking a printer for which
you can still get XP drivers, but _might_ broaden the field somewhat, I
don't know.]

There again, you might have to tell him that to go with such old kit,
he's out of luck wanting _new_ - though finding a second-hand one _with
a parallel port_ might be difficult: probably not that they'd have been
discarded because they don't work, but junked because no-one needed
them: someone might have one in a cupboard somewhere. Though if inkjet,
probably clogged (if HP or another make where the heads are part of the
cartridge, that's no problem _if_ you can get the cartridges). If
dot-matrix and the ribbon's dried out, they can be rejuvenated
relatively easily (though I only know for sure with a B/W one).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

He who prides himself on giving what he thinks the public wants is often
creating a fictitious demand for low standards which he will then satisfy.
- Lord Reith
  #3  
Old November 25th 20, 11:22 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
T
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,600
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On 2020-11-25 14:17, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 11:38:06, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD.Â* He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit.Â* He need a new


OJ = OfficeJet, i. e. an inkjet?


Customer was guessing over the phone


color printer.Â* Letter size is fine.


Does it have to be colo(u)r?


America, so it is "color".


You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?


I think the parallel port is more likely to be the difficulty than the
XP compatibility these days?


Ya. No fooling.


Many thanks,
-T



No USB port. Still uses floppy disks. This thing is OLD.

Thank you for the tips!





  #4  
Old November 25th 20, 11:55 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Paul[_32_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,873
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

T wrote:
On 2020-11-25 14:17, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 11:38:06, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD. He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit. He need a new


OJ = OfficeJet, i. e. an inkjet?


Customer was guessing over the phone


color printer. Letter size is fine.


Does it have to be colo(u)r?


America, so it is "color".


You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?


I think the parallel port is more likely to be the difficulty than the
XP compatibility these days?


Ya. No fooling.


Many thanks,
-T



No USB port. Still uses floppy disks. This thing is OLD.

Thank you for the tips!


Maybe a printer that takes a Jetdirect card ?

But somehow I doubt they still make the parallel port version.

Since the machine is running WinXP, you could stick
a USB2 card in the machine. This assumes some slots
are still available. But, will anyone make software that
installs on WinXP ? That's going to be the tough part.

Maybe stick an Ethernet card on the air-gapped WinXP machine
and connect the Ethernet to a switch, then from the switch
to the Ethernet port on the printer. With some luck, maybe
there's a printing standard that doesn't need print dialogs.
(Can you send a PDF to a printer ?)

Sorry, but all these solutions "creak and groan" a lot.
It's not going to end well.

And I don't know if printer server boxes serve any
translation functions you could take advantage of.

Paul

  #5  
Old November 26th 20, 12:03 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
T
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,600
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On 2020-11-25 14:55, Paul wrote:
T wrote:
On 2020-11-25 14:17, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 11:38:06, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD.Â* He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit.Â* He need a new

OJ = OfficeJet, i. e. an inkjet?


Customer was guessing over the phone


color printer.Â* Letter size is fine.

Does it have to be colo(u)r?


America, so it is "color".


You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?

I think the parallel port is more likely to be the difficulty than
the XP compatibility these days?


Ya.Â* No fooling.


Many thanks,
-T



No USB port.Â* Still uses floppy disks.Â* This thing is OLD.

Thank you for the tips!


Maybe a printer that takes a Jetdirect card ?

But somehow I doubt they still make the parallel port version.

Since the machine is running WinXP, you could stick
a USB2 card in the machine. This assumes some slots
are still available. But, will anyone make software that
installs on WinXP ? That's going to be the tough part.

Maybe stick an Ethernet card on the air-gapped WinXP machine
and connect the Ethernet to a switch, then from the switch
to the Ethernet port on the printer. With some luck, maybe
there's a printing standard that doesn't need print dialogs.
(Can you send a PDF to a printer ?)

Sorry, but all these solutions "creak and groan" a lot.
It's not going to end well.

And I don't know if printer server boxes serve any
translation functions you could take advantage of.

Â*Â* Paul



Ya, he has himself between a rock and a hard place.
He still uses floppies.

I think there are still ISA USB 2 cards floating
around here somewhere, but with XP drivers?


  #6  
Old November 26th 20, 12:12 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 603
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 14:22:24, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
On 2020-11-25 14:17, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 11:38:06, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD.* He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit.* He need a new

OJ = OfficeJet, i. e. an inkjet?


Customer was guessing over the phone


color printer.* Letter size is fine.

Does it have to be colo(u)r?


America, so it is "color".

But does he need color (!)? Also, does he need graphics or just text?

You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?

I think the parallel port is more likely to be the difficulty than
the XP compatibility these days?


Ya. No fooling.


Many thanks,
-T



No USB port. Still uses floppy disks. This thing is OLD.

Thank you for the tips!

I just had a quick look on ebay UK - surprisingly many impact printers
(I searched for "dot matrix"), both new and second-hand (some "opened
but never used", believe that if you wish [if true, ribbon may need
rejuvenating]), including at least one colour (and several colour
ribbons, though not for the same model) - though I didn't see any colour
new. I _imagine_ same in US (if not, I'm sure you could buy from here,
but postage costs for one of those would be high!).

Do tell us how you get on; I rather like imagining this living museum.



--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

.... there were parts of Roman York that appear to be more ethnically mixed
than parts of modern York. - David Olusoga, RT 2016/11/5-11
  #7  
Old November 26th 20, 12:16 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
T
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,600
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On 2020-11-25 15:12, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
ButÂ*doesÂ*heÂ*needÂ*colorÂ*(!)?Â*Also,Â*doesÂ*he *needÂ*graphicsÂ*orÂ*justÂ*text?


YES !!!!

  #8  
Old November 26th 20, 12:19 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
T
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,600
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On 2020-11-25 11:38, T wrote:
Hi All,

I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD.Â* He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.

Problem: his HP OJ printer quit.Â* He need a new
color printer.Â* Letter size is fine.

You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?

Many thanks,
-T



The guys wife "thinks" the old one was an
HP 8610. Checking Amazon, and they have two.
And HP has XP drivers for it.

If the prior one was indeed an 8610, it has no
parallel port, so he must have been using a
USB port.

I have given the customer my results.

Thank you all for the help!

-T

  #9  
Old November 26th 20, 12:27 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 603
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 15:03:46, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
[]
Ya, he has himself between a rock and a hard place.
He still uses floppies.

I think there are still ISA USB 2 cards floating
around here somewhere, but with XP drivers?


I would imagine an ISA USB card would have been made in the XP era (if
you're _really_ unlucky '9x, but lets hope not - '9x and USB didn't
overlap well), so would have had drivers; whether the driver would still
be with the card, might be more of a problem (and the manufacturer, even
if still in existence, might well not have it online).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

.... there were parts of Roman York that appear to be more ethnically mixed
than parts of modern York. - David Olusoga, RT 2016/11/5-11
  #10  
Old November 26th 20, 12:29 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 603
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 15:16:31, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
On 2020-11-25 15:12, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
But*does*he*need*color*(!)?*Also,*does*he*need*gra phics*or*just*text?


YES !!!!

Yes to graphics or yes to color? If only graphics, dot matrix can do.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

.... there were parts of Roman York that appear to be more ethnically mixed
than parts of modern York. - David Olusoga, RT 2016/11/5-11
  #11  
Old November 26th 20, 12:37 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 603
Default Any xp friendly printers out there still?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2020 at 15:19:06, T wrote (my
responses usually follow points raised):
On 2020-11-25 11:38, T wrote:
Hi All,
I have a machine shop customer with an air gaped
XP computer running Generic CAD.* He is running
too many specialty things to upgrade the mess.
Problem: his HP OJ printer quit.* He need a new
color printer.* Letter size is fine.
You guys know of parallel port, XP friendly
replacement printer you would recommend?
Many thanks,
-T



The guys wife "thinks" the old one was an
HP 8610. Checking Amazon, and they have two.
And HP has XP drivers for it.


Though if it's the same model, presumably he won't need the drivers as
he'll already have them.

If the prior one was indeed an 8610, it has no
parallel port, so he must have been using a
USB port.

I have given the customer my results.

Thank you all for the help!

-T

Keep us informed - we're all hooked on the story now!

(I'd say if he really needs to keep this lot going, a dot-matrix will
last longer. But others here will say he really ought to start thinking
about upgrading the "mess". Maybe involving VMs.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

.... there were parts of Roman York that appear to be more ethnically mixed
than parts of modern York. - David Olusoga, RT 2016/11/5-11
 




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