jmm@ski.UUCP (Joel M. Miller) (09/12/86)
My organization is getting a QMS PS-800 laser printer, mainly for
use with some PCs; I also want to use it with my Masscomp UNIX
system for troff text and GPS graphics. Would someone be kind
enough to tell me what applicable software exists to make this
conection?
Please reply by email.
--
Joel M Miller; Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation
2232 Webster St; San Francisco CA 94115; 415/561-1703
UUCP: {ihnp4,qantel,dual}!ptsfa!ski!jmm
The foregoing statements may change my opinions,
but not those of the Institute!stephenf@elecvax.eecs.unsw.oz (Stephen Frede) (09/17/86)
The QMS PS-800 is (as you are probably aware) a PostScript machine, and
so any drivers that produce PostScript will work. You will no doubt have
heard of TranScript and similar packages, but there are cheaper
alternatives. I posted a troff (ditroff) -> PostScript driver to
net.sources early this year. Since then, I have moved to the private
sector, and the product (much enhanced) is for sale. It handles all
the normal direquests, including character slant and aspect ratio
changes. It has provision for including raw PostScript in your
documents if you find that necessary. As well as the fonts resident on
your printer, it will handle user-defined PostScript fonts (logos, or
bitmaps for example), the raster fonts supplied with DWB, the Berkeley
vfont raster fonts (similar format but not identical), the hershey
fonts recently posted to the net, etc. Also available is a program for
printing bitmaps, and a program for printing plain text. The ditroff
filter produces output in such a way that you will NEVER run out of
memory on your printer, no matter how many fonts you download (no it
doesn't require read access to the device either). The cost is US$500.
We don't at this stage have a GPS -> PostScript driver, but may have one
in the near future.
Direct any enquiries to
Softway Pty Ltd
PO Box 373
Milsons Point
NSW 2061
Australia
or
... {seismo}!munnari!gris.oz!stephenf
or
FAX: +61 2 957 6914 (marked attn: softway)
or
Telex AA27987 (again marked attn: softway)
As a justification for this semi-commercial message (although it was
asked for), consider it a pointer to the FREE programs which are probably
archived at a site near you. I know it reached Europe, so it should
have covered most of the US.
- Stephen Frede