[comp.windows.misc] Display Postscript

stevew@lumpy.cleaver (Steve Wilhelm) (01/28/88)

From what I understand, based on a brief look at an alpha release 
Adobe Display PostScript technical document, Display Postscript is
supposed to be embedded in a window system for display only (thus
the name).  

      ---------------------------------------
      |              application            |
      |     --------------------------|     |
      |     |       window system     |     |
      |     |      -------------      |     |
      |     |      | DisplayPS |      |     |
      |     |      |           |      |     |
      |     |      |           |      |     |
    ==========================================
		       Kernel

In theory, Adobe knows how to display text and 2D graphics better
(read faster) than anyone writing a window system.  I saw a demonstration
of Display Postscript rendering pages of variable width font text at
"scrolling" speeds.

However, you will still need a window system to handle mouse keyboard
I/O and all the other window system functions.

NeWS could benefit from Display PostScript. I imagine that Sun could
"plug in" Display PostScript easily and receive the performance increase.
But, each NeWS server would require an Adobe PostScript license,
increasing NeWS's price as well.

X could also benefit from Display PostScript.  Without redesigning 
the protocol, there would be quite a bit of overhead converting X protocol
to PostScript, but X desparately needs the performance increase.
Incorporating Display PostScript would have to be done on a vender by
vender basis (venders note: this could be the discriminating
difference between your X and anyone elses X).

If the powers that be could redesign the X protocol to take advantage of
Postscript, the overhead would decrease and venders would be more
inclined to embed Display PostScript in their X server (not to mention
all the benefits of using a device independent rendering paradigm).

Note: This is my opinion, not that of Analog Design Tools, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------
 Steve Wilhelm,  Software Engineer
 Analog Design Tools	...{ucbvax!sun!sunncal, hplabs}!analog!stevew
 Sunnyvale, California  94088
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------
 Steve Wilhelm,  Software Engineer
 Analog Design Tools	...{ucbvax!sun!sunncal, hplabs}!analog!stevew
 Sunnyvale, California  94088

bwong@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (bruce.f.wong) (04/27/89)

I need information on Display Postscript.  What is it ?
References are welcomed.

Please reply via e-mail.  I don't read these groups.