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From: jdm@gssc.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Laser printer
Message-ID: <268@gssc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Feb-87 13:51:46 EST
Article-I.D.: gssc.268
Posted: Mon Feb 16 13:51:46 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Feb-87 22:40:23 EST
References: <8702051433.AA26615@inria.UUCP> <4271@utah-cs.UUCP>
Reply-To: jdm@gssc.UUCP (John D. Miller)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Graphic Software Systems, Beaverton Or
Lines: 36

i firmly recommend a VDI-like interface between the atari (or other computer,
for that matter) and the laser printer, over PostScript (which is really a
forth-like, interpreted programming language) or bit-blasting with the
host computer maintaining the page bitmap.

this addresses the communications speed issue, the device-independence issue,
and the bitmap-handling issue. (bitmaps are read/written in a device-
independent format.)  

my previous posting regarding the virtues of a full-page bitmap (and some
additional for offscreen bitmaps) and the drawbacks of display-list processing
addressed the *internal* operation of the printer - i had always assumed that 
a VDI-based machine such as the atari would talk VDI to the printer.  (no 
flames please - programs that talk directly to the screen will only get screen 
resolution ala screen dump the same way mac users get screen resolutions from 
macpaint.)

if it is not too late, i would like to recommend Bitstream (TM) outline fonts 
for the laser printer over *anything* else, as their font model is *much* more
robust than, say Adobe's (read PostScript).  in addition, they have somewhere
around 1000 fonts today and have a target of over 2500, where Adobe has less
than two dozen - a number of which have flaws.  (just print a few characters
at really big sizes so you can see them with the untrained eye.)

in any case, i would hate to see atari go with PostScript.  it is soooo 
sloooooowwww.  i wonder why?  i mean, just because it uses full-length ascii 
strings as input to it's interpreter?  and just because all numbers are 
internally floating-point?  (ah - visions of BASIC!!).  PostScript is an 
interesting academic excercise, but *not* a viable peripheral interface.  but 
then again, i guess you can fly a barn door if you have a big enough engine.  
just not very well.

-- 
-- jdm
in real life:  John D. Miller, Graphic Software Systems, Inc., Beaverton OR
...!{tektronix!verdix}!sequent!gssc!jdm