1. Printers A printer produces a paper copy of the text or graphics processed by the computer. A paper or acetate transparency copy of computer output is called hard copy, because it is more tangible than the electronic or magnetic copies found on a disk, in the computer memory, or on the monitor.

2. There are three popular categories of printers: dot matrix, ink-jet, and laser. Each type has its special capabilities. This is what the letter A would look like, much enlarged, when printed on each of the three types of printers. Just from the names, can you guess which of the three types of printer sprays ink onto paper? Which fuses powder onto paper? Which strikes inked ribbons with pins?

3. The most popular printers for business use are laser printers, because they use the same technology as duplicating machines. A temporary laser image is transferred onto paper with a powdery substance called toner. This produces high-quality output quickly and efficiently. The speed of a laser printer is measured in pages per minute (ppm). Color laser printers, which are much more expensive than non- color laser printers, use several toner cartridges to apply color to the page.

4. A less expensive alternative to a laser printer is an ink-jet printer. These printers spray ink onto paper. The quality of the ink-jet output is almost comparable to a laser printer’s output, but it is produced much more slowly. Ink-jet printers, with and without color capabilities, are very popular printers for home use because of their affordability.

5. Dot matrix printers are the oldest and least expensive printer technology still in use. These printers transfer ink to the paper by striking a ribbon with pins. The number of pins affects the quality of the print. Thus, a 24-pin dot matrix printer produces better quality print than a 9-pin. Dot matrix printers are most often used when a large number of pages need to be printed fairly quickly. The speed of a dot matrix printer is measured in characters per second (cps). Dot matrix printers are the only type of printer that can print on multipart forms, so they continue to be useful to all kinds of business.