Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!uwvax!uwslh!lishka
From: lishka@uwslh.slh.wisc.edu (Chris Lishka (controlled by cockatiels) )
Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript
Subject: Re: Bitmap of PostScript code..
Message-ID: <1990Feb22.155435.1578@uwslh.slh.wisc.edu>
Date: 22 Feb 90 15:54:35 GMT
References: <1990Feb14.041704.14844@athena.mit.edu> <2761@bacchus.dec.com> <30006@sparkyfs.istc.sri.com> <17975@rpp386.cactus.org> <1990Feb19.172134.12850@intercon.com> <144@heaven.woodside.ca.us>
Organization: Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
Lines: 31

glenn@heaven.woodside.ca.us (Glenn Reid) writes:
> [...]  Everything that is reduced
>to a bitmap becomes fixed, unwieldy, single-purpose, or otherwise boring.
>Adobe didn't implement any but very specialized, undocumented ways of
>prying the bitmap out of the printer because there are very few worthwhile
>uses for it, other than feeding to another printer of exactly the same
>characteristics, in which case you're better off with the PostScript
>stream anyway.

Although this may deviate from the original thread slightly, I think
that a bitmap *is* a useful object to have.  In fact, a postscript
interpreter that is capable of producing an *arbitrary* size bitmap
would be a very useful tool, because one could use it to create
bitmaps of different sizes to send to many different types of printers
(or to computer screens).  Bitmaps are a useful way of moving from
postscript code to a non-postscript output device, because many output
devices use a bitmap-like "model" for printing. 

On the other hand, I can see where trying to get the 300dpi bitmap
produced by a postscript printer (such as a LaserWriter) is sort of
silly.  Sure, it would be good for dumping to LaserJets or anything
else that has 300 dpi, but like the Mr. Reid said if you have the
LaserWriter in the first place, you may as well use it to do the
printing and forget about the bitmap.

					.oO Chris Oo.
-- 
Christopher Lishka 608-262-4485  "Somebody said to me, `But the Beatles were
Wisconsin State Lab. of Hygiene  antimaterialistic.'  That's a huge myth.  John
   lishka@uwslh.slh.wisc.edu     and I literally used to sit down and say `Now,
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