OCL... do you mean OCR? OCR is optical character recognition. If you have
hard copy of paper, say, and you want to get it on the computer so you can
edit it... you scan it with OCR software. The paper is converted to text.
There is always some degree of error in this process... so you have to go
back and manually make corrections. The software will have trouble with
things like "ri" and will see those letters as an "n". Things like that.
The question is... do you need this feature?

As for 36 bit color and parallel vs. 30 bit coplor SCSI... it's more a
matter of what kind of computer you are using. Many PCs use parallel ports
(but not all). Macs use SCSI ports. So you haven't much of a choice. Buy
whichever is compatible with your computer.

Karen Ackoff
Asst. Professor of Fine Arts
Indiana Univ. South Bend
[log in to unmask]




>Dear Sci-Arters:
>
>Thought I was going to get a Hewlett Packard scanner, but while websurfing
>stumbled across a complaint that HP sells OCL software bundled with their
>scanners, but there is no support for them, that no driver has been written
>yet by HP for using this software with their printers.  My connection went
>down before getting more specifics.  A guy at the local computer store had
>told me that the OCL software was a good thing to have if I was going to
>scan anything and alter it's size, especially print.  Anyone know what
>gives?  What does OCL do anyway?
>
>Also, HP just came out with a new scanner for only $50.00 more than the
>price now on their previous one, which is half what it was a few months ago
>(it dropped from $500).  The new one is 36 bit color and parallel, the old
>one is 30 bit color and scuzi.  Which is a better buy?  The scuzi is
>slightly faster.  It wasn't clear which had more dpi or if they're the same.
>
>                                Thanks, Miriam