A Brief History of the Modern Computer Printer

Computer printers can be found all around us. You can find them in most homes and businesses. They can also be accessed in libraries or other public places. They are a cost-effective and easy way to publish a variety of documents. These documents can be textual or in full colour, and even photos.

A printer can be purchased for as low as PS30, and cartridges for certain models are less than PS10. However, this is not always the case. Printers were expensive when they first appeared. Only the wealthiest and most well-off households could afford them.

Dot Matrix

The early consumer printers were built on the daisy wheel design, which was very similar to a typewriter's working mechanism. These were slow and line printers were introduced to offer a faster and more modern printing option. Although dots matrix printers were able to print both text and images simultaneously, the quality of the final product was poor.

LaserJet

In 1984, HP introduced the LaserJet laser printer. The LaserJet laser printer was sold at a cost of approximately PS2,000, which was considered high-end by modern standards. However, it was considered to be a significant breakthrough at the time. The Laser Writer was launched by Apple a year later. This competition saw prices drop and quality increase. Inkjet printers were taking over the obsolete dot matrix and daisywheel printers. Desktop printers of good quality were affordable for as low as PS100 by 1990. The quality of the printed materials was not up to today's standards, but flyers, leaflets and other similar paper-based designs could be created on desktop computers for relatively low costs and printed at home.

3D printing

Although 3D printing is being considered the next generation of printing, it is not printing but additive manufacturing. The industry is still highly specialized and although there are home 3D printers, it has yet to really blossom.

Today's Printers

Today's printer market is dominated by monochrome laser printers, and colour inkjet printers.

• Laser PrintersMonochrome laser printers can produce high-quality text and graphics by passing the laser over a negatively charged drum. Toner is an electrically charged ink that is collected by the drum and transferred to the paper. The paper is then heated to make a permanent representation. These devices, once thought to be cutting-edge and expensive, are now affordable and readily available. They can also be found in offices and homes around the globe.
• Inkjet PrintersInkjet printers were developed by Epson, HP and Canon in the 1970s. These three manufacturers, along Brother, have been responsible for producing and manufacturing the majority of these printers to this day. The printer's quality and cost will determine the quality of the print. Ink drops are propelled onto paper, or other media. There are affordable models that can print at a reasonable cost. However, more expensive models can produce beautiful prints with high quality.