Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!usc!apple!apple.com!parent
From: parent@apple.com (Sean Parent)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: MacPrint vs Grappler LS
Message-ID: <3255@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 31 Jul 89 22:50:09 GMT
References: <13164@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Distribution: na
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 52

In article <13164@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> leo@athena.mit.edu (John Leo) 
writes:
> does not allow the full 300dpi and prints at a reduced size somehow.  
Another
> annoying factor is tt it seems to be incompatible with MacWrite.  I tried
> printing a 2 page MacWrite v5.0 doc., but my 4Mb SE bombed at me with 
ID28 

I believe that there is a vertion 1.2 of the Grappler LS that addresses 
both of these problems. No more bombs in MacWrite and if you toggle the 
precision scalling flag in the cdev you should get full 300dpi (it 
defaults to 4% reduction (288dpi) for better looking output, most 
people don't notice 4%).

> One redeeming feature of LS which I found ( your mileage may vary ), is 
tt it's
> faster than MacPrint.  I clocked LS at 3 min 46s/ page, and Mac Print at
> 5 min 5 s/ page.  The full page of Write Now G-Dutch 12 pt. was printed 
at best
> quality.

One for the LS. Also, does MacPrint come with a spooler so you can work in 
the background. (Tip. The current version of the Grappler LS uses LESS 
memory when the spooler is on).

> Then again, Mac Print allows screen-dumps, and LS doesn't.  LS must
> gobble up 1 Mb of my RAM, but MacPrint need not.

No screen-dumps are not supported (they don't work with the LaserWriter 
either!). The memory required by the LS is more like 1/4 Meg.

Other questions:

How does MacPrint handle text line layout. (If you print text that is 
fully justified does it line up correctly? And does a line of text that 
contains SOME boldfaced words print correctly.) The LS handles these cases 
very well.

How does MacPrint handle pattern stretching. (If you draw a rectangle in 
MacDraw and fill it with wavy lines do they print as wavy lines or as a 
shade of gray.) The LS stretches pattern by 3x not 4x as they should be 
but still better then not stretching them are stretching them by 2x as 
most drivers I've seen do.

How does draft mode work on MacPrint? On the LS it uses the built in 
courier font that in 10pt matches the supplied courier very well. You get 
very fast nice looking output. The LS also has a faster quality for 72 dpi 
fans.

Sean Parent
I used to work for Orange Micro, Inc. (Click on the Grappler LS logo in 
the CDEV to see my name) so my opinions are biased.