Printer seen, DEC LP25

From: Frank McConnell <fmc_at_reanimators.org>
Date: Sun Apr 26 11:25:15 1998

Sam Ismail <dastar_at_wco.com> wrote:
> Yes they were dot matrix. I always equated line printers with dot matrix
> printers. Is there a difference?

When someone says Line Printer I think of something with the type
on a chain (or a drum) and the ribbon in front of the paper, and then a
bunch of hammers behind the paper. When the right character is in
front of the right position, the printer fires the hammer for that
position and pushes the paper up against the ribbon and chain/drum.

But the real definition is in how much data you have to send to the
printer to get it printing. If you have to give it a full line to get
it going then it's a line printer. If you only have to give it a
character to make it print then it isn't.

-Frank McConnell
Received on Sun Apr 26 1998 - 11:25:15 BST