mike@cimcor.sp.unisys.com (Michael Grenier) (08/29/90)
Scandia Microsystems distribution of TeX and METAFONT Scandia-TeX is an implementation of Donald Knuth's Typesetting package configured for UNIX running on popular Intel 80386 microprocessor based computers. Scandia-TeX includes support for professional looking typesetting on many different output devices including X-windows previewing, Postscript printers, Laser printers and the HP Deskjet, plus many dot-matrix printers. It includes support for drawing graphs (PiCTeX), manuscripts(LaTeX), Bibliographies (BIBTeX), font creation (METAFONT), Graphic Plots (GNUPLOT), and troff drivers. It will output TeX and/or Troff documents using different sized and styled fonts even on inexpensive dot-matrix printers. Because the above list can be formidable to the new user, Scandia Microsystems supplies a texmenu command which provides a simple menu driven interface into TeX. The source for this command is provided and can be customized for the users particular installation. Otherwise, the line oriented interfaces as described in the TeXbook are available. There are unfortunately many different versions of UNIX which will run on IBM 386 based clones which may or may not be compatible with each other. Scandia-TeX is known to run under the following brands of UNIX : Interactive Systems Intel/Bell Technologies Everex ESIX Microport V/386 AT&T UNIX V/386 It has not been tested on IBM AIX and it is unclear what direction AIX will take on UNIX compatibility. Priced at $295, it is much less expensive than most commerical versions for MSDOS. Scandia Microsystems can be reached by calling (612)-464-6056 or via email 'texinfo@cimcor.mn.org'. Scandia TeX is the only package we are aware of which will provide a troff output on dot matrix printers. The following printers are supported under Scandia-TeX: Postscript (Apple Laserwriter) downloads fonts for output at 300 dpi (dots per inch) HP LaserJet II downloads fonts for output at 300 dpi HP LaserJet Uses group 0 graphics to download HP Deskjet and Deskjet Plus Uses group 2 graphics to download image. Epson MX series printers Uses bit mapped graphics at 290 x 216 dpi Epson LQ 800/1000 series printers Uses bit mapped graphics at 360 x 180 dpi Epson LQ 1500, NEC P5 wide carriage printers Uses bit mapped graphics at 180 x 180 dpi Okidata Pacemark Uses bit mapped graphics at 72 dpi Toshiba Uses bit mapped graphics at 180 dpi Apple Imagewriter Uses bit mapped graphics at 144 dpi Imagen laser printer Prints at 300 dpi Scandia TeX's dvi drivers will automatically invoke METAFONT as needed to create any needed fonts so the person creating the document need not remember which fonts might be available at any given point in time. They are all available!