macdriver@adobe.com (07/25/90)
Adobe Systems has announced that we are developing PostScript printer drivers
for the Macintosh, Microsoft Windows 3.0, and OS/2 PM environments. At the
Adobe Developers' Conference June 6-8 Adobe discussed the
goals of the drivers and demonstrated a prototype version of the driver
for the Macintosh. The rest of this message specifically addresses
the Macintosh version of the PostScript printer driver from Adobe Systems.
The driver is a chooser selectable driver that works with any Macintosh
application. The driver takes special advantage of features included
in PostScript Level 2 which was introduced at the Adobe Developers'
Conference). The driver will also fully support the existing installed base
of PostScript printers.
Specific goals of the driver are:
a) Performance. The new driver will have improved performance on both
PostScript Level 2 printers and the existing installed base of printers.
b) Support for device specific printer features such as special paper bins,
printer specific page sizes, duplex printing, cut film, and so on. This
is usable by EVERY application, not just some special applications that jump
hoops to give you that functionality.
c) The ability to export PostScript language files by printing to disk with
the driver. The goal is to generate PORTABLE files which can be moved
to other systems (Mac and otherwise) easily. In particular it will be
possible to generate EPS files from Macintosh applications using the
Adobe printer driver.
d) Conforming PostScript language documents. The files created by the
new driver will conform to the Adobe Document Structuring Conventions
which will allow for useful post processing of the documents. For example,
this will enable existing and future network printing managers/spoolers which
conform to the structuring conventions to intelligently direct and process
the jobs/files produced by the driver.
The demonstration of the Adobe PostScript printer driver at the conference
included a tour of the user interface (still under construction). Printing
Microsoft Word 4 and MacDraw II was also demonstrated.
The driver is expected to ship concurrent with PostScript Level 2 printers.
There have been no specific product announcements for these printers but
users can expect them to be available in the last quarter of 1990 or
first quarter of 1991.
Adobe wants input from users, developers, and service bureaus on features and
capabilities which you want to see in the driver. An email account has been
set up at Adobe for suggestions. Send suggestions to:
'macdriver@adobe.com'.
Other possible paths are
{uunet,apple,decwrl}!adobe!macdriver
If you have suggestions but cannot get mail to this account,
please send US mail to:
Mac Printer Driver Product Manager
Adobe Systems Incorporated
1585 Charleston Rd.
Mountain View, CA. 94043
We appreciate your input and ideas. We look forward to both direct suggestions
as well as any discussions on usenet. PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL ACCOUNT,
NOT TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AT ADOBE SYSTEMS. This will ensure that your
suggestions get received by the appropriate folks.
In addition, followups to this newsgroup will be read with interest by the
driver team.
Thanks for your suggestions,
Macintosh PostScript Driver Team
at Adobe Systems Incorporated