mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (04/20/89)
Well, Apple finally announced 32-bit Color QuickDraw and a new laser printer
driver to go along with it. Since the press release is very long (and somewhat
boring) here is an abbreviated version:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. April 17, 1989. Apple Computer, Inc. today
introduced an extension to Color QuickDraw(TM) that supports up to 32 bits
per pixel...[allowing] display [of] photo-quality documents,
images and visualizations with exceptional color clarity... [Apple made
the announcement at] National Computer Graphics Association show here.
...32-Bit QuickDraw supports the use
of up to 24 bits of color; the additional 8 bits of information are typically
used by application developers for transparency in applications.
...enhancements in 32-Bit QuickDraw include support for 16- and 24-bit
color, allowing for thousands or millions of colors; approximation of color for
16- and 24-bit images at lower resolutions via dithering; compression in file
formats; more gray levels in gray-scale mode; and a new version of the Monitors
Control Panel.
...The 32-Bit QuickDraw project was a direct result of Apple's close
cooperative work with a number of third-party developers. Companies
demonstrating products that support 32-Bit QuickDraw in Apple's booth at NCGA
include BarneyScan, Visual Information, Electric Image, SuperMac Technology,
Tektronix, Radius, and Intergraph Corp.
LaserWriter 6.0 allows most applications using 8-bit color to print in
color on color PostScript printers. Applications that use 32-Bit QuickDraw can
produce color output of even higher quality; color transitions are smoother and
rendering is more realistic.
With LaserWriter 6.0, a color or gray-scale Color QuickDraw image printed
on a monochrome PostScript printer will be halftoned. Halftoning is a
technique that produces dot clusters of varying size that are perceived as
different shades of gray. The output produced is a high-quality,
black-and-white print that conveys the difference in color and shading that are
seen on the screen.
...also features faster font query and improved font data
structures that decrease the time required to print text documents. This is
particularly noticeable when using numerous fonts stored on a hard disk
connected to a PostScript printer.
LaserWriter 6.0 is an optional PostScript printer driver. PostScript
printer users who print color or gray-scale screen images or who use numerous
fonts should upgrade to LaserWriter 6.0. Users who share a PostScript printer
with other users who have installed LaserWriter 6.0 should also upgrade. Most
other users may continue to use LaserWriter 5.2, which ships with Macintosh
System Software and LaserWriter II printers.
...[The Apple Color Disk] The 32-Bit QuickDraw extensions include a Read Me
file containing documentation and installation instructions, a new Monitors CDEV
and a new General File. LaserWriter 6.0 is composed of three files:
LaserWriter (v6.0), Laser Prep (v6.0) and PrintMonitor (v1.3).
The Apple Color Disk will be distributed free of charge in May to
authorized Apple dealers, electronic bulletin boards, user groups and other
groups that license Apple's System Software.
--
Michael Niehaus UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!mithomas
Apple Student Rep ARPA: mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu
Ball State University AppleLink: ST0374 (from UUCP: st0374@applelink.apple.com)