With so many printers out there, it's easy to get confused and make a purchasing decision that seems valid at the time, but doesn't take into account such issues as networked printing ability or cost of maintenance and repair.

Sometimes, a group will buy a printer and then learn, after it's installed, that the printer is not compatible with UNIX distributed printing because it cannot print Postscript files. Or maybe the printer isn't network compatible. Or perhaps the service call is $200 just for someone to come out and take a look at the problem.

To help Lab employees avoid such mistakes, the Desktop Support Group has put together a matrix showing the features of various printers made by Hewlett-Packard, the recommended vendor. The letters at the end of the model numbers indicate various capabilities, For example, "N" means the printer is network compatible and "D" means the printer can print in duplex mode (both sides of one sheet of paper).

"We get a lot of questions about 'Which printer do I buy?' and this matrix is an attempt to provide a way to compare various models and features," said Charlie Verboom, head of the Desktop Support Group. "We are trying to provide buying advice centered around HP printers so that people who have a choice of HP or another brand will consider HP due to the lower cost of maintenance. The cost of the Tektronix printer maintenance is so high that where you have a choice that is technically an equal, people should really consider the HP model."