Russell,

On Sat, 07 May 2005 20:09:42 +1200, Russell McMahon wrote:

> The HP G85 printer, which caused me to start this thread a few weeks 
> ago just snuck through my screens and gobbled up another colour 
> cartridge. 

>...<
 
> So: That's it. Enough. Gone next week. To be replaced probably by a 
> Canon, but I'll have another good look at latest offerings from 
> others.

Just so you know that your suffering isn't in vain, a (non-computer-literate) friend recently had an Epson 
printer give up the ghost, and whereas I would previously have recommended an HP, I looked at the Canon range 
and found one that suited.  Their PC has no spare USB ports and the previous printer had been Parallel Port so 
this was a major requirement.  The Canon PIXMA ip4000 is seemingly the only one in the range with a parallel 
port (and USB as well).  Its feature list was way over what they wanted (prints double sided and onto CDs if 
you want) but they will just ignore these functions.  The Good Thing is that it has 5 seperate ink cartridges: 
three secondary colours, one black for graphics, one black for text, and you just replace each as it empties.  
The cost of all five (at the most expensive place I found) was much less than one black and one three-colour 
from HP (such as their Nos.56 & 57).  The printer wasn't expensive either!  (A hundred quid from Comet stores 
but cheaper from their web site, if any other Brits are interested)
 
>...<

> Other HP products I'll take on a case by case basis. But the power of 
> the dark side is pervasive and tends to permeate their other products, 
> if only by association. At least there's still Agilent to carry the 
> original flag.

My girlfriend has an HP 19" LCD monitor, and it's excellent.  As well as beautiful display quality, the 
position adjustments outdo anything else I've seen, with sideways and up-down swing, and a height adjustment 
with a range of about 4" or so, that all work smoothly with a gentle push with one hand.  I'm really jealous, 
in fact!  :-)

But for printers I agree with you, and won't be buying/recommending HP in future.

Cheers,


Howard Winter
St.Albans, England


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