osborn@cs.utexas.edu (John Howard Osborn) (12/23/90)
Our story opens with a posting I made, soon after the '040 machines were introduced, deriding NeXT for lack of support for cheap printing technology. Specifically, printers like the HP DeskJet. My posting was along the lines of Me: "Nice cheap computers, but printing is still too expensive. Support cheaper printers like the HP DeskJet." NeXT: "OK. Write a driver and we'll give you tech support." (email) Me: "Supply a machine for me and I'll write your driver. I keep the machine, and you get the rights to the driver." (email) NeXT: "OK. Sounds good. We'll get back to you." (email) At this point corporate bureaucracy took over. NeXT has decided that it is such a great idea that they plan to start an internal team to write non-postscript drivers. Aside from the DeskJet, they will probably do the LaserJet and perhaps other very popular hi-res printers. This is now being called the RIP (Rasterization Image Processing) project. The bottom line: NeXT wins, because they need these drivers to help sell machines. The user community as a whole wins, because these drivers will be really nice to have around. I win, because I'll eventually be able to afford a NeXTstation and can get a cheap printer instead of the NeXT laserprinter. And, I lose, because I didn't get to barter for a machine and, sort of, lost control of an idea. I just thought y'all would like to know whats going on. - -John H. Osborn -osborn@cs.utexas.edu
eps@toaster.SFSU.EDU (Eric P. Scott) (12/25/90)
In article <16098@cs.utexas.edu> osborn@cs.utexas.edu (John Howard Osborn) writes: >At this point corporate bureaucracy took over. NeXT has decided that it is >such a great idea that they plan to start an internal team to write >non-postscript drivers. I don't think you can claim all the credit, given that Sun has already announced a competing product based on NeWS. -=EPS=-