Compare & Contrast
Law Technology News (Volume 6, Issue 8, p. 39, col. 1)
August 1999
Need a New Printer: Where to Start Looking?
by Wayne Spivak
NO LAWYER could do his or her job without some type of mechanical device that places the words that make up the very essence of law onto a parchment of paper. Lawyers generate reams of words while performing the duties inherent in being an attorney.
It is therefore extremely important that firms purchase printers that meet the needs of both the attorney and those who must read their words. Printers have come a long way from the simple dot matrix and daisy wheels of days gone by to ink jets, laser jets and color laser jets of today.
Years ago, and even last year, the price-point was the factor used to determine whether a printer was a quality piece of equipment, or just an actor trying to play the role of the firm printer. Price was the benchmark of a good printer.
Today, price and quality have blurred. High price no longer means high quality. Low price, which usually meant low quality, is also no longer a good rule of thumb. Examine the feature set to determine whether a printer will meet your needs.
Network management, paper handling, and page rate are items to consider when choosing a printer. Network Management capabilities let the system administrator monitor the printers, modify their network setup and conduct diagnostics.
Paper handling is the catch phrase for multiple paper trays, envelope feeders and type and quality/quantity of paper a printer can handle. The key to whether a printer will fit the needs of the law office is the page rate. In days gone by, six pages-per-minute was considered fast, then 12 ppm and today 24 ppm and 32 ppm are the norm.
Furthermore, where before you had the choice of a dot matrix printer or a black and white laser jet, today you can purchase a color inkjet, a color laser jet or a black and white laser jet. Some units come with scanners and fax machines; others are what are called mopiers (for multiple original prints).
What's the right choice for your office? There is no longer a pat answer. Look at your printing needs. Do you need to print in color? Do you need to make multiple copies of documents? Look at the number of people printing, both taken together and simultaneously. Is your staff currently waiting long periods of time for the printer to produce output?
Then look at your network. Would you benefit from networked printers, or will local or 'shared' printers work for your office? Can your network benefit from network management capability offered by some printer vendors?
After you've answered these questions then look at your budget. What or which printers can meet your needs, based on this budget? That will be your pat answer!
Wayne Spivak is president of Bellmore, N.Y.'s SBA*Consulting.