jons@islenet.UUCP (04/07/87)
This may be old news to some, but I did get some requests for it:
Aloha,
Jonathan Spangler
{ihnp4,vortex,dual}!ihnp4!islenet!jons
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ventura Publisher Enhances Handling of Small Documents
Eric Lach
CHICAGO -- Xerox Corp. and Ventura Software have announced an update of their
Ventura Publisher Edition document composition software, adding more than 80
features designed to improve the program's handling of smaller documents.
...Unveiled last week at the Corporate Electronic Publishing systems
trade show here, Release 1.1 offers automatic as well as manual kerning,
support for multicolumn frames for newsletter layouts, improved hyphenation,
the capability to crop and size line art, on-screen rulers, and automatic
letter spacing and tracking.
The new release also makes Ventura Publisher the first desktop
publishing program to support all three of the leading page-description
languages, Meyer said. In addition to Adobe's Postscript, the new program will
allow the printing of files based on Xerox's Interpress and Imagen's DDL.
Also added to Release 1.1 is increased support for word processing
and graphics packages, access to more font libraries, and more printer
drivers, Meyer said. Word processing interfaces for Xywrite, Displaywrite 3
and 4, and DCA files are now available, as well as graphics conversion for
more than 500 graphics packages based on a dozen file formats, including
Macintosh Pict, Mac Paint, and Mac Draw files. Microsoft Windows vector
graphics are supported through the Windows clipboard, and Postscript
encase files can also be handled.
Release 1.1 includes conversion for Hewlett-Packard Soft Fonts and can
use the entire library of Adobe printer and screen fonts with any Postscript
printer, officials said.
Scheduled to ship on May 15, the new version, like the old, is priced
at $895. Users with Release 1.0 can upgrade to 1.1 for $100 with proof of
ownership, and those why bought after March 4 can upgrade for $35 until July
15.
geller@eli.UUCP (04/08/87)
Ventura Publisher 1.1 will be out in a few weeks and I am eagerly awaiting its arrival. We have been using version 1.0 here for a few months and are very impressed. On an AT this program is fast! Why it even ran respectably fast on an old XT we had. We are running it with a Wyse 700 (Amdek 1280) high resolution monitor (a color version will be released soon) for full-page makeup capabilities. I recommend the display as much as I do Ventura. Ventura 1.0 can be had for around $650 Wyse 700 lists for $999. Can buy for ~$899. AT clone comes in cereal boxes now! David Geller Electric Logic, Inc. Washington, D.C. (Pagemaker is also out. I plan on sticking with Ventura for most application and using Pagemake only for single page paste-up jobs. And I still use troff/tbl and pic!!!) Also - NEC is set to release an LED based printer featuring Postscript and HP's PCL next month (300 dpi resolution). And Phoenix technologies (the main BIOS cloners) will be doing a Postscript clone soon! Thank god. It seems silly that Adobe based Postscript devices are so absurdly expensive!!
jons@islenet.UUCP (04/10/87)
In article <195@eli.UUCP> geller@eli.UUCP (David Geller) writes: > >Ventura Publisher 1.1 will be out in a few weeks and I am >eagerly awaiting its arrival. We have been using version 1.0 The official word I've heard from Xerox is that it won't be released until May 15. Hold your breath... >here for a few months and are very impressed. On an AT this >program is fast! Why it even ran respectably fast on an old >XT we had. We are running it with a Wyse 700 (Amdek 1280) >high resolution monitor (a color version will be released >soon) for full-page makeup capabilities. I recommend the >display as much as I do Ventura. > > Ventura 1.0 can be had for around $650 > Wyse 700 lists for $999. Can buy for ~$899. > AT clone comes in cereal boxes now! > >David Geller >Electric Logic, Inc. >Washington, D.C. Agreed! Ventura is respectable EVEN ON AN XT, which is going to be a major selling point of Ventura over Pagemaker. On the hardware side, this is what one of our customers is using: Ventura 1.0 Laserview By Sigma Designs (two-page monitor 19 inches) Sperry IT 40 meg hard disk > >(Pagemaker is also out. I plan on sticking with Ventura for >most application and using Pagemake only for single page paste-up >jobs. And I still use troff/tbl and pic!!!) > It may be interesting to note that Ventura is currently working on a version of the Publisher to work under Windows. Not looking forward to that unless the Ventura program is much faster than Pagemaker. I've tried Pagemaker on an XT and it is S-L-O-W. Seems like starting off with Windows (which is S-L-O-W) makes the end package slow NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. The one thing I like about Pagemaker is that it looks good in color on my EGA monitor. There are also a few more fonts to chose from but Ventura takes the cake. List price is $895. Aloha, Jonathan Jonathan Spangler {ihnp4,vortex,dual}!islenet!jons OR jons@islenet.hawaii.edu
David_J_Buerger@cup.portal.com.UUCP (04/16/87)
I've not only used Ventura Publisher 1.0, I've attended Xerox's official training class in San Francisco. While it is nice to see the WYSWYG format on screen, it has some serious drawbacks for users in a group setting. The program always defaults to whatever settings the last user had it set for. In other words, there are no permanent defaults. This is extremely confusing for users using a common host in a bullpen setting. Style sheets are a terrific idea, but a user can unknowingly change one without knowing it. This, too, can raise havoc not only for the user, but for others using the common host. Autonumbering (for outlining of technical documents) is difficult to understand and use. The manual is terrible on that aspect. Style sheets cannot be changed to read only status to protect them.
David_J_Buerger@cup.portal.com.UUCP (04/16/87)
More on Ventura 1.0: The footnote feature is EXTREMELY limited (no more than half a page). You cannot pre-type the footnote in your favorite text editor and translate it, then copy it into a note. You have to individually type each note WITHIN the Ventura program, which is (given its bit-mapped status) slow. You cannot create endnotes. Xerox's customer support people in Texas were arrogant and very non-cooperati ve with me. The will not answer letters or electronic mail. In my opinion, they have a long way to go with this product for an organiza- tion which needs help with widespread support. I think I'll stick with MicroTeX and LaTeX for serious desktop publishing. David J. Buerger ...!psuvax!scu.bitnet!dbuerger (uucp)
geller@eli.UUCP (David Geller) (04/18/87)
In article <305@cup.portal.com>, David_J_Buerger@cup.portal.com writes: > I think I'll stick with MicroTeX and LaTeX for serious desktop publishing. Using a text formatter (TeX, troff, Script, etc.) is a FAR FAR cry from serious or decent desktop publishing. I've been using troff for quite a while. It is a fine tool and VERY good for certain applications. If you have to put together a newsletter with floating image frames, flowing text to different columns on different pages, etc. then you will be left working on your newsletter way after closing time using troff or TeX! Both PageMaker and Ventura are fabulous tools. You just can't do what they can do with TeX and troff EASILY and PRACTICALLY. It's like using a crayon for producing invitations to a wedding. I'll challange anyone using TeX or troff to a newsletter produce-off. I'll wager quite a bit then mine will get done faster, look better. But if you ask me to set a book or tech article - I'll pick troff right off. David Geller Electric Logic, Inc. Washingtom, D.C.