Printer Ink Cartridges - The History

You are working at your computer and trying to print out important documents and all at once you find you are out of ink. Years ago that would have presented a big problem. Printers used ribbons or daisy wheels to print on paper. Let's take a look at the evolution of printer ink cartridges.

In 1984 ink jet printers and printer cartridges were introduced. Printing documents was now easier and so was changing printer cartridges. After years of changing ribbons, adding toner ink to reservoirs within the computer.

The dot matrix method used a ribbon. The industry found new ways to make printing easier and more convenient. There is the drop on demand method where the ink squirts onto the paper through tiny nozzles. The amount of ink dropped the page is controlled by the software driver that controls which nozzle fires and when.

By 1990 ink jet print cartridges was widely accepted. Printer cartridges can now print in color as well as in black and white for document. Inkjet printer cartridges can print on just about any sized paper, on fabric and on film. Ink jet printers are used in a variety of settings worldwide and is a popular choice for printing.

Each brand of printer uses a specific type of cartridge. Ink jet cartridges are given an identification number and the models that can use this particular cartridge, is listed. There are a wide variety of cartridges available and you should check your printer's manual to see exactly what cartridges are available to you.

If you are trying to save money, you can purchase refill kits that allow you to fill the cartridges yourself. Not everyone is a fan of these kits however, the quality of the printing isn't as good, and in some cases the cartridges when re-installed can fail to operate.

You can get reconditioned and refilled cartridges from some retailers and sometimes from the manufacturer. Compatible cartridges are cartridges that are made according to the exact specs of the original manufacturer. The drawback here is that not every cartridge has a compatible one.

In choosing a printer check the type of cartridge it will use. You will need to determine if the cartridge is appropriate for the type of printing and the volume of printing you will be doing. You will have to do some research and you can find much of this information on the internet, through the manufacturer or through stores that deal in the particular printer you are looking at.

Discount ink cartridges are available online. All you have to do is type ink cartridges or printer cartridges into your search engine. Some sites offer amazing discounts. Again you are going to have to search for the deal that is best for you. Pay attention to the cartridge top when purchasing them. Check the sides of the box for a list of models the cartridge will work in.

There is a time line below that has some really interesting facts. This would make a great list of answers for a trivia game. I cannot imagine the hard work that created the ink jet printer cartridge, as we know it. It is easy to understand why cartridges are expensive.

1452 - Gutenberg used oil-based ink, moveable type, and an old winepress to make the first printing press. Martin Luther began the Protestant reformation making extensive use of the printing press.

1714 - The typewriter was born. Schematics that were done by Mills were discovered however, there is no proof that any typewriters were actually made.

1874 - Christopher Sholes, Samuel Soule, and Carlos Glidden made a keyboard that became known as the "qwerty" because of the first five keys on the top row of the keyboard.

1894 - Franz Wagner developed a typewriter that is very similar to the ones made today. He created a design that let the typists watch as they were typing. Previously, paper would go through a roller as you typed and you could not see what you typed until you were done.

1897 - Underwood (by John Underwood) was the prototypical typewriter of its day.

1939 - Charles Carlson developed electrography, which is the first dry writing technique developed in the United States.

1949 - Haloid Company began to commercially developed electrography for the first time.

1959 - Xerox 914 hit the market and forced other businesses to update their communication systems.

1969 - Xerox first introduced dry printing (laser printing) by Gary Starkweather.

1078 - Xerox put out the world's first business laser printer the Xerox 9700. It copied documents at the speed of 120 ppm (pages per minute)

1979 - The IBM 3800 could print out 20,000 lines per minute. 1980's - The use of toner cartridges became obsolete.

1984 - Hewlett-Packard released the first home-based desktop laser printer.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Discount ink cartridges which includes Cheap ink cartridge, if you have time drop by his site for some tips and information.


USB Drive Popularity

So many people have small USB drives today, but what... Read More

Printer Ink Cartridges - The History

You are working at your computer and trying to print... Read More

Flyback Transformer-How to Locate the ABL Line

Whenever there is a complaint about monitor contrast problem I... Read More

USB Key Drives - Useful Tool

There are many different names for these drives, just so... Read More

Learn to Find Cheap Laptop Computers on the Internet

Cheap laptop computers are coming to a store near you.... Read More

When Good Color Goes Bad...

Even with the popularity of digital technology, and the availability... Read More

Easy to Execute!

Plug and play equipment or hardware solves the problem of... Read More

How To Buy A Printer That Won?t Break The Bank

OK I confess I've bought at least 10 inkjet printers... Read More

Cisco CCNA Certification: An Illustrated Guide To Ethernet CSMA/CD

When you're studying for your CCNA exams, you're going to... Read More

Testing a Transformer- How To Accurately Test A Transformer

There is two types of transformers in the market- linear... Read More

Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders

Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's... Read More

Your Business versus Mother Nature

Business Consultants earn hundreds of thousands of dollars every year... Read More

Correctional Institution Preventive Maintenance Software

There is a great need for preventive maintenance in correctional... Read More

How to Change, Upgade or Remove an IDE Hard Drive

Hard drives - Hard drives are a little more complicated.... Read More

Motherboard Basics

A recent Tech Tip covered the basics of selecting a... Read More

Pixel Disruption To Cause Nausea From User of Computer Screen

As we study the issues associated with teaching kids in... Read More

5 Tips For Buying The Right Laptop Computer

It's easy to be intimidated by all the laptop models... Read More

TiVo: An Introduction for the Few Who Dont Know Yet

TiVo will change your life... for the better. Plain and... Read More

How To Buy The Perfect Student Laptop

If you are like most student's, money isn't exactly growing... Read More

Tips To Select Proper Motherboard

Selecting motherboard is really simple. As name suggests "Motherboard" acts... Read More

Your Printer Is Out Of Ink -- Now What?

We've all been there. You're in the middle of printing... Read More

7 Steps to Cleaning the Laser Toner From Your Laser Printer

Cleaning a laser printer, fax, or copier of laser toner... Read More

What Everybody Should Know About An Inkjet Printer: The One-Year Cost Of Printing

You can purchase an inkjet printer for as little as... Read More

What is Blu-Ray DVD

Video technology has increased significantly over the past years, and... Read More

Moving to a New PC

Getting a new PC is exciting and a pain. It's... Read More