Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!lsr
From: lsr@Apple.COM (Larry Rosenstein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Windows/Mac flame war fuel
Message-ID: <9038@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 7 Jul 90 02:00:23 GMT
References: <8974@goofy.Apple.COM> <2988@gmdzi.UUCP> <42650@apple.Apple.COM> <3042@gmdzi.UUCP> <42681@apple.Apple.COM> <1990Jul6.174126.18953@portia.Stanford.EDU>
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 25

In article <1990Jul6.174126.18953@portia.Stanford.EDU> aaron@jessica.stanford.edu (Aaron Wallace) writes:
>
>Still, I'm not convinced that configuration can always be handled
>automatically, or should be.  If a font cartridge is in the printer it should
>be used.  And if there is no was for the printer to communicate its contents,
>configuration is necessary.

This is correct.  The difference between Mac and PC printer drivers is more
one of philosophy.  Apple's philosophy is that printers should communicate
back to the system so that the system can do the correct thing for the user.
If Apple were to ship a printer that took font cartridges, I'm sure that the
printer would have a mechanism to query what cartridge was installed.  In
the PC world the emphasis is on supporting as many printers as possible, not
all of which can communicate back to the system.

Neither of these are absolute.  One can write a Mac printer driver that
requires the user to configure the driver (as to font cartridge,
communication protocol, etc.)  I'm sure that one can write a PC/Windows
driver that communicates with the printer.  

-- 
		 Larry Rosenstein,  Object Specialist
 Apple Computer, Inc.  20525 Mariani Ave, MS 46-B  Cupertino, CA 95014
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