This is an issue that is inherent to applications such as Excel, Microsoft
Word, MacDraw II, and other programs that don't display a watch or
animated cursor while processing a print job.
The problem is that applications like Excel do not put up an animated or
watch cursor while processing a print job. Since no other activity is
taking place (like typing, moving the mouse, and so on), the Macintosh
Portable falls into "Rest" mode. This is where 64 wait states are
inserted so that the effective processor speed is slowed to 1MHz (this is
done to reduce power consumption when no activity is taking place). If
application manufacturers follow HIG and put up an animated or watch
cursor, the CPU does not Idle and will finish the print job slightly
faster than an Macintosh SE.
A suggested workaround is to deactivate "Rest", one of the power-saving
features of the Macintosh Portable. This is done by opening the Portable
CDEV and "Option-Clicking" on the words "Minutes until Automatic Sleep".
A dialog box appears describing "Rest" and gives you the opportunity to
turn "Rest" off. You can also prevent idle (aka "Rest") by performing
actions such as moving the mouse, typing on the keyboard, and so on.
Using a document similar to the one described above, these were our
findings:
Macintosh Portable
------------------
5 minutes 8 seconds with idle ON
2 minutes 55 seconds with idle OFF
Macintosh SE
------------
3 minutes 8 seconds
In summary, this is an Excel compatibility problem that occurs on the
Macintosh Portable when printing to any printer, not just the LaserWriter
IISC. In addition, a user should have the 4X fonts installed for maximum
performance when printing text in portrait. The fonts are bitmapped and
can be printed directly from the Macintosh screen to the LaserWriter IISC.
Printing is a little faster, too, when they are present. When printing
horizontally or from graphics packages that use regions instead of
polygons or bitmaps, performance suffers.