Macintosh Bible, 8th Edition, The

Printer Talk (BW)

Understanding a printer is easier than understanding a computer—there just aren't as many variables, features, and jargon terms involved. And a printer only has to do one thing well, which you can judge with your own eyes.

But it goes without saying that when it comes to computer equipment, nothing goes without saying. So here's a primer on the basic printer technologies, along with an explanation of the language used to describe printers and how they work.

Resolution

Virtually all desktop printers create images out of dots, and the resolution of a printer is measured in dots per inch (dpi). In theory, the higher the resolution of a printer, the smoother its type and graphics will look. In fact, though, the quality of your printed ...