xyW & new printers [was: HP 682C driver?]

["..." adpf@xxxxxxxx]

≪ Does anyone have a recommendation what driver to use with Xy 3.55
recently hooked up to a HP Deskjet 682C printer? ≫

Hi, William Allen. Yep. Apple LaserWriter I--plus a PostScript software
interpreter. The strategy frees you from dependence on *any* developer's
printer drivers, puts negotiation with the printer in the hands of a
specialist, and turns any aging app that has a PS driver evergreen.

As an interpreted language--like BASIC--PS is a fixed factor and its
prominent role in publishing means that PS won't take a fade. It still
blows me away that this robust page description language, the publishing
industry standard, works on dinky office printers--PS or not, laser,
inkjet, or dm--by virtue of drivers supplied with PS software interpreters.
.... Time for a PS update? Bear with me. ...

Adobe licenses its PS interpreter to printer manufacturers to embed in a
chip in their hardware (as IBM used to burn a BASIC interpreter into a
chip), and doesn't undercut licensees by selling a software interpreter.
AfaIk all PS software interpreters are unlicensed clones (just as there
are unlicensed BASIC software clones). Various Windows PS interpreters
are out there (ATM just enables Type 1 fonts for non-PS printers and
isn't an interpreter). The only dos PS interpreters that I'm sure still
are around are Aladdin Ghostscript and LaserGo's unrelated GoScript.
Ghostscript's name presumably is an, um, tribute. LaserGo, the pioneer,
was advertising GoScript nationally before the first Ghostscript
materialized.

If I hadn't already been using GoScript when I got a modem, even though
Ghostscript freeware is notoriously buggy and self-described as not for
the faint of heart I probably would have tried it. Like LaserGo, Aladdin
is a commercial developer but its revenues come from OEM deals; GNU
Ghostscript lags (6? 18?) months behind Aladdin development.
My most recent info:
	"Aladdin Ghostscript 4.0 is now [28 Jun 1996] available on
		ftp://ftp.cs.wisc.edu/ghost/aladdin/
		[several unix Ghostscript file names clipped]
	MS-DOS and MS Windows .zip archives will appear
	in this directory shortly."

Ghostscript tempted me little, however, because the GoScript32 I use
brings remarkable power and flexibility to xyWrite printing, especially
xyW 3 since GS32's screen driver adds to xyW a true graphical preview.
This makes GS32 indispensable to me even when using a printer that has a
PS chip. While waiting and waiting and waiting for IBM's corruption of
XyQuest's graphical xyWrite to gestate, I devised the de facto graphical
xyW3 I still use whereby GS32 becomes a seamless extension of xyW.

As an interpreter, GS needs an ascii source file--a program xyW creates
when I tap my function key that sends a tyf arg to my !GS xpl. Tapping
other supershifted positions of the same key sends diff args to !GS to
"do" an interpretation of the tyf'd file to screen or printer. While the
preview is uneditable per se, neither it nor hard copy carries a bitmap
font burden--need only Type 1. (Alas, !GS, one of the two or three most
customized xpl programs I use, would be useless to anyone else without
more work than I have time to devote to generalizing it. I'll be happy,
however, to share again my PS utility that constructs xyW driver Type 1
font width tables.) Another arg elsewhere on my !GS key loads the GS
programming environment but if all you want is everyday previewing and
printing you need know nothing about PS programming to use GS. If you
ever do want to explore PS's stunning power, GS has the tool to do it.

I'm delighted to report that my previously noted anxiety that LaserGo had
gone to developer heaven was unfounded. TTG could do itself and xyDos
users scrambling for drivers a big favor by cutting a deal with LaserGo
to supply GS32 at a bargain price. Let LG worry about drivers for new
printers; that's its business. This applies not only to xyW3 or even
xyDos 4. LG also sells GoScript for various flavors of Windows. Instead of
encouraging users to slog around in PCL, TTG could focus on making xyW
a world-class front end for the professional page description language (as
regards hardware PS, drivers vary only by hardware features like duplex
printing). Whatever, the prices LG lists at its Web site are steep.
I bought GoScript direct from LaserGo at a trade show for $70ish,
a fraction of the price listed at the site. So LG does do deals.

re the HP 682C, from LaserGo's Web site: "If your printer is not
listed, it can still be supported if it emulates one of the listed
printers, or is in the same manufacturer model series as one of the
listed printers. [... GS32 supports] most popular printers [...] Color
32-bit DOS version supports" all HP Color DeskJets, all Canon Color
BubbleJets, Epson Stylus Color/Stylus Pro/Stylus Pro XL, Star Micronics
SJ-144; color PCX and TIFF.

If GS interests you, visit LG's site ...
	http://www.lasergo.com
.... and look for 32bit GoScript. Its extended memory manager is what
enables use from within xyW. Consider the version with the most fonts
only if price isn't an issue (you can get Type 1 fonts free on www and
quality Type 1 fonts at better prices elsewhere). If price *is* an issue,
don't feel shy about emailing LG to ask if it has any specials, like an
academic rate since the chances of TTG initiating a deal with LG are ... oh,
well.

Hope this helps. ... Ciao. 	--a

============================= adpFisher  nyc