Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!kent
From: kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu (Kent D. Polk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Stupid Wishes
Keywords: Wish list
Message-ID: <17161@swrinde.nde.swri.edu>
Date: 7 Jun 89 03:11:44 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
Lines: 60



Ramblings About My Second Biggest Amiga Gripe: Printer support.
(First Biggest - No 640*400 non-interlaced video - should have been in 1.3)

Proposition : Make prt: able to decode IFF text and graphic info.
	One could then just copy such an IFF file to prt: for output.
	IFF Text which has color & font info would make such info
	available to the printer driver.

	Couldn't one do things like writing a Postscript printer driver
	which worked somewhat like ProScript et all, building
	bit-mapped raster fonts when no metric font is available,
	etc... (Postscript Printer driver should be able to identify a
	Postscript file & just pass it to par:/ser:, etc.). Or be able
	to use special printer fonts (Laserjet) and other
	printer-specific capabilities that aren't accessible now
	through prt:?

	Yeah, I know - "just buy xxx", but really, IFF has been around
	a while now, seems like the OS could recognize it. It just
	seems a shame to have such a powerful computer throttled by the
	lack of OS supported capabilities. When Commodore fails to
	support it's own standards, it's kind of hard for developers to
	justify it.

Proposition : Extend GraphicDump to support dumping a portion of the
	screen to the printer or a file. Have a requestor window pop up
	when requested which asks for output designation, countdown
	timer gadget, & rubberband window for area to dump if selected
	(check out Sun's screendump utility - pretty nice).

Question : Why isn't there a Laserwriter Printer driver - even a
	simple-minded one? 

Question : Why is the info about writing printer drivers a closely
	guarded secret? Ok, so Jim mentioned about the $20 Developer
	Package.  My understanding was that this is essentially the
	same info available in the Libraries & Devices Manual. Sorry,
	but unless there is substantially more direction, the package
	would be useless - I don't need to write for an Epson
	look-alike.  (Prowriter, Mitubishi g500?)

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Please, no flames, I'm trying for constructive criticism and real
information . CATS' responses on the net are what give me hope that
this machine will be around for a while, so none is directed toward
them. It seems clear that they want the machine to succeed.

The question is: how does one try to convince Commodore management to
direct funds towards needed, purposeful & consistent development?

Towards this end, what do others see as needed goals that we can
request (in unison)? I wish CATS personnel could give us a look at what
they would like to develop, but can't due to budget/time constraints.

Thanks,

Kent Polk