RE: An Idea...

[Simon Jefford <JeffordS ABS-Ltd com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wolfgang Sourdeau [mailto:wolfgang@ultim.net]
> Sent: 12 January 2000 17:19
> To: gnome-devel-list@gnome.org
> Subject: Re: An Idea...
> 
> 
> On Wed, 12 Jan 2000, Sergey Zhumatiy wrote:
> 
> >   Hello!
> > 
> >   Look to the StarOffice, ApplixWare, GIMP. They all
> > have own printers drivers. While in Windoze I can
> > simply draw any pictures/texts/etc as on screen, as on
> > printer! Any simple program can print on ANY PRINTER.
> > I don't need Postscript or knowledge about printer protocol.
> > If there is a DRIVER (which is written by printers producer),
> > then I can print on it. With any features (econofast/etc),
> > any resolution, etc...
> > 
> While I totally agree with you that not all softwares respect the
> standards, there IS actually a de facto standard image format 
> under unix
> which is postscript. Normally, every software having a print function
> should first print to a postscript file. And from there the unix print
> system converts the file to a printer-compatible format. Ghostscript
> does that for a lot of printer-models (check if your printer, if not
> listed, is compatible with one of the listed models : gs --help).

However, the output from Ghostscript is less than ideal in many cases. At
home for example, I have an HP Deskjet 610 which can print (in black) at
600x600dpi. The nearest Ghostscript can get is 300x300dpi, which is quite a
noticable difference. Not to mention that it doesn't support specific
features of my printer such as Econofast.

Hopefully, gnome-print should sort these issues (if I understand the ideas
behind gnome-print correctly)

Or, I could save up for that Postscript printer... (-: