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Withthiscapability,the StarLaserPrinter4willoperatewithawide range
of applicationsprogramson the market, both old and new. Chapter 7
providestheinformationthat willallow youto use your printerwith four
popularapplicationsprograms:Lotus1-2-3,WordPerfect,MicrosoftWord,
andMicrosoftWindows.
Chapter8and9describethemaintenanceandtroubleshootingoperationsto
keepyour StarLaserPrinter4workingin “perfect”condition.
1.1 LASERPRINTING
BeforeyoubeginlearningaboutyournewStarLaserPrinter4,youmayfind
ithelpfulto know somethingaboutlaserprinting itself.
Alaser is actuallyabeam of light of just one wavelength(Laser is an
acronymfor Light Amplificationby StimulatedEmissionof Radiation).
Suchabeam oflight, describedas“highlycoherent”,can befocusedvery
sharply.Lasers,generatedbygases, liquidsorsemiconductors,a~ widely
usedin applicationsrangingfromsurgeryto the visualarts.
Laserprintingis aprocessthatuses alaserbeam—in this case,generated
byasemiconductor-to activateportionsofanelectricallychargedsurface.
Theseactivatedpartsrepresentthewords, numbers,orgraphicsbeingsent
fromthecomputerforprinting.Otherpartsofthe pnntertransferthisimage
topaper, thenclean thesurfaceand prepareit to receivemoreinformation
tobe printed.
Inotherwords,thisprocessisatypeof laser-activatedtemporaryengraving.
Inthe Star LaserPrinter4, two intercomectedunitsproducethe complete
printingprocess:thetoner cartridgeandthe printerbody.
Thetonercartridgecontainsthe drum,whichis the rotatingsurface.In the
darknessofthetoner cartridge,thedrumholdsanegativechargeplacedon
itby the primarycorona wirein the printer.Shutterson the bottomof the
tonercartridgeassurethat no unwantedlightpenetratesitsinterior.
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