[comp.sys.atari.st] GDOS 1.2??

covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (01/26/89)

These are some remarks made on a recent GDOS Conference on the on-line
computer service GEnie. They are extracted from an article printed in
ST Zamagzine #4, and are directed to the good folkes at Atari, in particular  
to John Townsend. The conference took place on Jan 18, 1989 on GEnie.

Here is one tantalizing tidbit about a future version of GDOS:

<[John] TOWNS> Outline fonts are fonts that are described by points and
lines rather than GDOS fonts which are bitmapped. RELEASE 1.1 is_not_
the final release of GDOS.. does that answer your question? <grin>


The above was made in response to a rumored new version of GDOS which would
be made up of outline fonts, be totally dynamic, and would be more powerful
then the system used by Mac. Atari has been very tight about this new GDOS, and
has denied that they are working on it. This is one of the few references to appear
in public from someone at Atari.


<[Ken] TOWNS> Atari is working on an exciting kind of GDOS driver, but I
can't talk about details. Other kinds of devices? Like what? We aren't
working on anything out of the ordinary that I know of.  Except for the
GDOS Gorilla driver, of course. But I'm not supposed to even MENTION that
one.  Driving apes with computers isn't really socially acceptable yet.


As you can see, Ken@Atari has a wry sense of humor. But, what the heck is the GDOS
Gorilla driver??  This is the first that I have heard of it.


The rest of the conference seems to be just a rehash of old questions about using
GDOS with Timework's PUBLISHER ST, and the new TOUCH UP from Migraph. Also, 
nothing was said about the release date for UltraScript for the SLM804. so, who knows
what will happen with it. Also, nothing was said about the Diablo Emulator for the
SLM804, but to be fair neither of these use GDOS.

So, let's see some talk about the GDOS Gorilla driver, or the new GDOS. I just
*LOVE* good juicy rumors!!!

Richard( Atarian Forever ) Covert

towns@atari.UUCP (John Townsend) (02/08/89)

in article <41143991.14e07@gtephx.UUCP>, covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) says:
> 
> <[John] TOWNS> Outline fonts are fonts that are described by points and
> lines rather than GDOS fonts which are bitmapped. RELEASE 1.1 is_not_
> the final release of GDOS.. does that answer your question? <grin>
> 
> Richard( Atarian Forever ) Covert

The question that was asked was:

"What are Outline Fonts? Is Atari planning any future versions of GDOS?"

(NOTE: This isn't the exact quote...)

I didn't mean to imply that Atari was planning to add Outline capabilities
to GDOS. I simply was stating that Atari is planning to release future
versions of GDOS (as opposed to NOT future versions..)

So, does this clear up the so-called Rumor? 

-- John Townsend
   Atari Corp.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: These are my comments and NOT Atari Corp's.. Read them as such!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (02/11/89)

> 
> I didn't mean to imply that Atari was planning to add Outline capabilities
> to GDOS. I simply was stating that Atari is planning to release future
> versions of GDOS (as opposed to NOT future versions..)
> 
> So, does this clear up the so-called Rumor? 
> 
> -- John Townsend
>    Atari Corp.
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> NOTE: These are my comments and NOT Atari Corp's.. Read them as such!!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Oh rats!!


Just when I thought I caught John Townsend announcing a new GDOS, he 
manages to retract it!!

Heck, a new outline based GDOS would be fanastic!! Actually, even the
Mac doesn't use outline fonts for their screen fonts. The only outline
fonts on a Mac are the ones used by PostScript programs. and they only
print on PostScript laser printers.

So, Atari's bitmapped fonts are much more flexible the those on the Mac.

But, a new outline font based GDOS would be even better!!

jdutka@wpi.wpi.edu (John Dutka) (02/14/89)

In article <4164b709.14e07@gtephx.UUCP> covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) writes:
>
>Heck, a new outline based GDOS would be fanastic!! Actually, even the
>Mac doesn't use outline fonts for their screen fonts. The only outline
>fonts on a Mac are the ones used by PostScript programs. and they only
>print on PostScript laser printers.
>
>So, Atari's bitmapped fonts are much more flexible the those on the Mac.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! How wrong you are my friend. PostScript fonts AND standard
Macintosh bitmapped fonts support the following typeface modifications (which,
incidentally, are visible in a true WYSIWYG format on the Macintosh's screen):

		BOLDFACE
		Italic (backward slant as an option on PostScript Fonts
		Underline
		Outline
		Shadow
		Superscript
		Subscript 

and a few others that I can't think of right now. It also lets you combine any
or all of those attributes together on any text block IN ANY PROGRAM. I should
know - I own one, and I do LOTS of professional page layout / publishing with 
it. Typefaces can be created by the user with Apple's standard system
software (i.e. ResEdit). The number/variety of fonts is only limited by your
storage space.

To quote Zaphod Beeblebrox, "Q.E.D."

Richard G. Brewer                                       rbrewer@wpi.bitnet
Systems Consultant                                        tron@wpi.wpi.edu
College Computing Center
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA