Here are the exact conditions under which the printer speed specifications of
the ImageWriter LQ were measured, including hardware, software, and fonts used.
Hardware: Macintosh
Software: BASIC
Font: 10 cpi, in Draft fixed-pitch mode for the "draft" rating
Text: Shannon text consisting of characters and spaces
The "rated speed" refers to the printer speed at full carriage speed,
excluding ramp time to accelerate and decelerate the carriage.
A program was written in BASIC and run on the Macintosh to print standard
Shannon text (a combination of letters and spaces that approximates English),
which all printer companies use to measure speed. This was done to minimize the
Macintosh's processing time and the data transmission time.
The data sheet has additional speed ratings for the NLQ and LQ modes.
NOTE: Throughput ratings for the ImageWriter LQ are lower than speed
ratings. Throughput ratings include ramp time, line feed time,
etc. (For example, the throughput rating for the ImageWriter LQ
in Draft mode is 155 cpi.)