Chapter 1: Hardware - Pearson Schools

electrically charged patterns. If a job essentially consists of lines – for instance, a
graph – a plotter will quickly draw the required lines. An upright plotter can also
handle very long sheets of paper, because of the way the paper flows, and can
produce long continuous lines. Plotters are frequently used in computer-aided
design.
Advantages of plotters:
Much larger and longer sheets can be printed.
Disadvantages of plotters:
Printing is very slow.
Plotters are usually more expensive than printers.
Chapter 1: Hardware
Figure 1.30 An upright plotter
Multi-function printers
Printers are now being built in combination with scanners, and sometimes with
fax machines. Combining a printer with a scanner produces the effective
functionality of a photocopying machine, as well as providing the separate
functions of scanning and printing.
Advantages of multi-function devices:
A multi-function device takes up much less space on the desktop than the
individual devices it replaces.
A multi-function device is usually less expensive to buy than all the individual
devices it replaces.
A multi-function device will be used more before it becomes obsolete.
A multi-function device can be replaced more frequently, having provided
good value, so that more modern technology is available for use.
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