Re: Word attachment...on linuxtoday

[Vlad Harchev <hvv hippo ru>]

On 12 Jan 2002, Franck Martin wrote:

 Hi,
 
[..]
> 
> The drawback of PDF is that you need a proprietary software to convert
> your document into PDF. I think the FSF and GNU should think about a
> display/printing format free of any patent and widely published. I'm not
> sure if the format of PDF is open. Anyhow the limitation is that you
> have to acquire an Adobe licence to convert your files to PDF. In the
> old time in the Unix world many people were using compressed postcript
> to send documents, but this solution didn't make it to the windows world
> due to the obligation of buying a postscript viewer. There should be a
> FREE printer driver on windows and linux that print any document into a
> compressed format that can be viewed in a FREE reader.

 Just to add to James' reply: PS is still viable as universal document
exchange format - all needed software is free, but people are lazy to download
it. In detail:

1) there is a free PS viewer for win32 - called Ghostview - it needs
ghostcript for windows (free) installed. The only drawback - it asks to be
registered each time it's started AFAIR.

2) Anybody can print to PS on windows - just install any PS printer driver,
and when there is a need to print to PS, just select that printer and set
'print to file' in the print settings dialog - and you'll get PS file. The
only disadvantage is that it won't be gzipped automatically.

 It's possible to convert PS file to PDF through Ghostview GUI, but alas
Ghostscript used for this is far from perfect at PS->PDF conversion. But it's
possible to use http://createpdf.adobe.com (on-line ps to pdf conversion
services).

[..]
> 
> I think you have a call for volunteers to make....

 All that is needed is wide endorsment of Postscript, ghostscript and
ghostview and explanation on how to use them on Windows. And study
ghostscript for absence of security holes since postscript is complete
programming language.

 Best regards,
  -Vlad