My IBM 4317 laser printer (Network Printer 17) arrived earlier this week. I have the printer attached to my OS/2 Warp Server for e-business system (via a parallel port), and I also tested an OS/2 Warp 4 client.
This 17 page per minute 600 dpi (plus edge smoothing) duplexing laser printer costs just a little over $186.00 shipped from CompGeeks (http://www.compgeeks.com), if you use the discount coupon MC EXCLUSIVES. It's a tremendous value. (These printers often show up on eBay in like condition, often with even more accessories.)
The factory refurbished laser printer arrived with several installed accessories: a top offset output tray (up to 500 pages capacity), extra memory (10 MB RAM total), and a Token-Ring network adapter. Even though I ordered the version without the toner cartridge, I got one anyway (which looked only partially used). The printer had been used for approximately 186,000 pages before I received it, according to the built-in counter. There were some minor toner smudges here and there, easily cleaned with a wet towel.
Installation was a breeze, and the OS/2 Warp driver support is excellent (using any of the more recent LaserJet driver sets from the OS/2 Device Driver Pak On-Line). IBM's printer division also supplies its own OS/2 Warp printer driver (not tested). The printer is fully capable of its 17 ppm rated speed, and it manages 8+ sheets per minute in duplex mode -- very speedy indeed.
There's lots more to like about this printer. For example, you can set the printer to automatically reprint any pages caught a paper jam. (Any sheet that hasn't completely exited the printer will be reprinted.) Paper jams seem to be few and far between.
I was able to download all the IBM NP17's manuals from IBM's web site. (Naturally, I printed them on the NP17 itself. :-)) Toner cartridges are fairly expensive, but they last a long time, especially with the economy mode setting.
In short, this is an excellent buy in a rugged, refurbished printer. For more information on the IBM NP17, visit this web site:
http://www.printers.ibm.com/R5PSC.NSF/web/NP17Home
Source: OS2VOICE