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   matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 03:59:27 JST matthew - retroedge.tech
   Got a Retro Computing question:
   
   Do you have a recommendation for a printer that would reliably work with Windows 98? Grey-scale laser printer is okay.
   
   #retro #retrocomputing #Windows98 #printer
   • Embed this notice
     Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧 (jeffcliff@shitposter.world)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:00:48 JST Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧

     in reply to
     @matthew printers are *still* almost entirely a lost cause because they are universally proprietary.
     
     This shouldn't even be a question you have to ask, but it is because the printer industry manufactures printers which are #defectivebydesign
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     BowserNoodle ☦️ (bowsacnoodle@poa.st)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:01:17 JST BowserNoodle ☦️

     in reply to
     @matthew Boosting because I have no idea. I would probably look at one of the email server setups, because even a win98 system can send emails (theoretically). I do love Brother laser B&W printers for their reliability and cost of ownership— they are the Toyota Camry of printers.
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     Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧 (jeffcliff@shitposter.world)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:02:15 JST Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧

     in reply to

     • Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧
     @matthew you'll see there is NO printer listed with a RYF certification here https://ryf.fsf.org/products?category=All&vendor=All&sort_by=created&sort_order=DESC
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:02:20 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧
     I'm thinking that a LaserJet 4, 5, or 6 with parallel port may be a good fit. May be difficult to find and test, though.
     Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧 likes this.
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:03:09 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • BowserNoodle ☦️
     I also really like Brother laser printers. Unlikely that one will work with Windows 98, but I haven't done much research on it yet.
     BowserNoodle ☦️ likes this.
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     Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧 (jeffcliff@shitposter.world)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:03:40 JST Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧

     in reply to
     @matthew
     
     > a LaserJet 4, 5, or 6 with parallel port
     
     This is you making the same mistake that the MIT AI lab made, in getting a proprietary Xerox printer. When will people learn ?
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     BowserNoodle ☦️ (bowsacnoodle@poa.st)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:06:41 JST BowserNoodle ☦️

     in reply to
     @matthew Is using a print server an option or is the challenge to be strictly period tech to win98? If it is, if just use a raspberry pi interface where you save a file to it (e.g. a pdf) and it prints it before auto deletion.
   • Embed this notice
     Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧 (jeffcliff@shitposter.world)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:07:42 JST Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧

     in reply to
     @matthew It's not a ridiculous request. She is a victim of microsoft and printer companies. You are blaming the victim here. You are part of the problem
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:07:43 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧
     It is for a customer who has very little clue of what she wants, other than she wants to keep using a Windows 98 computer and have a printer for it.
     
     I think it is kind of a ridiculous request, but I'll at least look into it and see if I can give her any recommendations or help.
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:10:34 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧
     Thanks Jeff. I agree with the sentiment... except the part where you attack me for being part of the problem.
     
     I understand, though. In supporting proprietary software and hardware AT ALL, I am part of the problem in a small way.
     Jeff "never puts away anything, especially oven mitts" Cliff, Bringer of Nightmares 🏴‍☠️🦝🐙 🇱🇧🧯 🇨🇦🐧 likes this.
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:37:45 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • BowserNoodle ☦️
     A printer server, or network printer would be a good solution... but it is for an older, probably technically challenged, woman who just wants a printer to work with her Windows 98 computer.
     
     I'm not close to her location, so I probably wouldn't be able to go onsite to set up.
     
     Every once in a while I get odd requests like this.
     
     A network printer with postscript would probably be best, if the client was closer and I could just stop by and set it up for her.
     BowserNoodle ☦️ likes this.
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     BowserNoodle ☦️ (bowsacnoodle@poa.st)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:38:22 JST BowserNoodle ☦️

     in reply to
     @matthew Man I wish there was a version of "Linux for grandmas" that was skinned to look like windows 98 but could actually work.
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:44:01 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • BowserNoodle ☦️
     I think some of this was a failure to communicate. I do not think she really knows what she wants. I called her back again and she said that she knows someone else who could get her a whole system with a printer instead of just a printer. She didn't say if that was also Windows 98... but I doubt it.
     
     When she talked with me before she was adamant about continuing to use Windows 98, but I'm guessing that sentiment has softened due to her being without a working printer at home for so long (since last summer).
     BowserNoodle ☦️ likes this.
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     BowserNoodle ☦️ (bowsacnoodle@poa.st)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:49:37 JST BowserNoodle ☦️

     in reply to

     • AsukaNeko
     @AsukaNeko @matthew I just want windows XP candy theme again.
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     AsukaNeko (asukaneko@poa.st)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:49:38 JST AsukaNeko

     in reply to

     • BowserNoodle ☦️
     @BowsacNoodle @matthew Someone should just start doing updates for Windows 98.
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     matthew - retroedge.tech (matthew@social.retroedge.tech)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:52:27 JST matthew - retroedge.tech

     in reply to

     • Berlusconi Fever :sonnenrad:
     • BowserNoodle ☦️
     Agreed. Thankfully, it looks like she's found another solution in just getting a whole replacement system, both PC and printer from someone else.
     BowserNoodle ☦️ likes this.
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     Berlusconi Fever :sonnenrad: (mechasilvio@poa.st)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Jan-2025 04:52:28 JST Berlusconi Fever :sonnenrad:

     in reply to

     • BowserNoodle ☦️
     @matthew @BowsacNoodle A Raspberry Pi with a print server and remote access you can send her and set up remotely after?
     
     Supplies for old printers are hard to get
     BowserNoodle ☦️ likes this.