Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!boulder!unicads!stefan
From: stefan@unicads.UUCP (Stefan)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.news
Subject: Re: NeWS and Display PostScript
Message-ID: <335@unicads.UUCP>
Date: 14 Feb 89 21:36:57 GMT
References: <890213-155306-7860@Xerox>
Lines: 53

In article <890213-155306-7860@Xerox>, "Michael_Powers.Henr801M"@XEROX.COM writes:
> >If Adobe and Sun cannot come to some kind truce about PostScript and
> >don't start working together, both NeWS and eventually PostScript will
> >go down the drain.  This would be a damn shame.
> 
> I don't think that Sun and Adobe will be able to "work together" outright.
> 
> [some reasons why not...]
>
> Personally I agree that it would be nice to have Adobe and Sun working
> together rather than playing these political olympics. But it just is not
> going to happen with the current client of OSFism and the workstation war
> that is heating up.
> 
> Mike Powers

 Well, I don't happen to agree with Mike's perspective on this issue.
 I'll generalize here and say that the rank-and-file at Adobe Systems
 seem to bear no ill will towards Sun (indeed, you have only to look
 at their hardware :->). However, I don't think the same may be said
 about the views of "those in charge". 

 Sun has made a number of attempts to get Adobe to pull the NeWS wagon
 together with them. All seem to have been met with disdain (if not
 legal threats). [disclaimer here - I have no knowledge of any overtures
 made in the last 7-8 months].

 The problem lies not with Sun, but with Adobe. I think there is a 
 general perception at Sun that Adobe sees (saw?) NeWS as a threat to
 the future of PostScript (their lifeblood). When NeWS came along it
 represented a significant advance over "printer" PostScript. The
 extensions to PostScript that made it interactive seemed to set a
 whole new direction. 

 That's the threat that Adobe perceives - the loss of the chance to
 guide the future direction of PostScript. I think it has little to
 do with OSF or their relationship to other companies (re Powers'
 comments). 

 As long as NeWS is perceived by Adobe to threaten Adobe's control 
 of the future direction of PostScript they will continue to put
 it down (as non-conforming, etc.). I know it's bullshit but what
 can you do with small minds? 

 Stefan



-- 

 Stefan Fielding-Isaacs              Unicad, Boulder, Co.
 (303) 443-6961                      CAD/UIMS software 
 sun!unicads!stefan or boulder!unicads!stefan