greg@hoss.unl.edu (Lig Lury Jr.) (04/04/91)
I saw an ad for the new StyleWriter in the Daily Nebraskan, a campus
publication, and went to take a look at it. Its a page feed printer,
very small footprint, and costs just a little more than an ImageWriter II.
I am tempted to get it, but I am wondering about compatibility with an
Apple IIgs. How would it handle an ASCII printout? Does it need anything
special to function? The print quality is laser-like, and looks great.
But most of my hard copies are sent from ProDOS 8 applications. Would I
get any better results from the use of this printer?
--
/// ____ \\\ "It says, `Golgafrincham Ark Fleet, Ship B, Hold 7, Telephone
| |/ / \ \| | Sanitizer, Second Class,' and a serial number." "A telephone
\\_(\____/)_// sanitizer? A dead telephone sanitizer?" "Best
greg \_\\\/ hoss.unl.edu kind." "But what's he doing here?" "Not a lot."unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) (04/04/91)
In article <1991Apr03.211052.16964@hoss.unl.edu> greg@hoss.unl.edu (Lig Lury Jr.) writes: >I saw an ad for the new StyleWriter in the Daily Nebraskan, a campus >publication, and went to take a look at it. Its a page feed printer, >very small footprint, and costs just a little more than an ImageWriter II. >I am tempted to get it, but I am wondering about compatibility with an >Apple IIgs. Good for you to be worried, as it won't work with the GS, as of NOW. Apparently either some dealers or people at Apple have said that there will be drivers in the fall. [Why the hell does everything lag at least 6 months behind when the software's been available for the Mac for eons???] Not that I'm not grateful, as I am really waiting for the drivers, because this is a really inexpensive printer that sounds like it outputs really high quality printouts. I believe I am correct in saying that the Stylewriter works internally with scaled fonts [i.e. it does the scaling itself?] The fonts that are scaled are not pixel representations as they are in current GS and most Mac fonts, but they are OUTLINE fonts, outlined with a bunch of equations, where you can plug a number in the equations for the size of the font and the equations will output the outline of the font.. You color in the outline, and you have a perfectly scaled font. I believe it uses Bezier curves? {Boy, I love to use buzzwords I learned in my graphics class last quarter} -- /unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu Apple IIGS Forever! ULTIMA VI GS -mail me. CDs-mail me\ \ McIntosh Junior: The Power to Crush the Other Kids. /
tbandit@athena.mit.edu (Carlos E Reategui) (04/04/91)
On with the StyleWriter business.. I just bought one and I can say I'm impressed with Apple Inc for this one. It is a very nice solution especially for students. The output is great (a little better than on a DeskWriter, HP's inkjet) but the big thing that people complain about it is speed. It is pretty slow (not if you compare it with an IW II though). It prints about half a page per minute in high quality (360x360). Mac Drivers currently don't suport background printing which can be a pain on slower Macs because all the processing is done on the computer. Printer does nothing, it doesn't even havesimple text printing if you send it ascii like most (all) dot matrix which is probably why it won't work on Apple II's without a driver. See you guys later Carlos tbandit@athena.mit.edu
ieeug330@Eagle.oscs.montana.edu (Mark Wistey) (04/04/91)
In article <1991Apr03.211052.16964@hoss.unl.edu>, greg@hoss.unl.edu (Lig Lury Jr.) writes: >I saw an ad for the new StyleWriter... >...The print quality is laser-like, and looks great. >But most of my hard copies are sent from ProDOS 8 applications. Would I >get any better results from the use of this printer? I looked one over at the campus bookstore a few days ago. Although it might be great for some people, the StyleWriter like *all* inkjets produces ink that smears. If you're desktop publishing, and the output from your StyleWriter will just be photocopied or multilithed, you're okay. But if you plan to send letters or print anything to be used outside (in the rain), better watch out. Even so, this printer will have a nice niche when the drivers finally come out... |-O <yawn!> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - gmw1142%msu3.dnet@terra.oscs.montana.edu (InterNet) | Sailboards, Apple II's, gmw1142%msu3.dnet@mtsunix1 (BITNet) | Christ-like living, Quad D, #308, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA (BikeNet) | Music, and Physics :-)
RXBROWN@UALR.BITNET ("MR.FANTASTIC") (04/05/91)
>I saw an ad for the new StyleWriter in the Daily Nebraskan, a campus >publication, and went to take a look at it. Its a page feed printer, >very small footprint, and costs just a little more than an ImageWriter II. >I am tempted to get it, but I am wondering about compatibility with an >Apple IIgs. How would it handle an ASCII printout? Does it need anything >special to function? The print quality is laser-like, and looks great. >But most of my hard copies are sent from ProDOS 8 applications. Would I >get any better results from the use of this printer? > >-- >/// ____ \\\ "It says, `Golgafrincham Ark Fleet, Ship B, Hold 7, Telephone >| |/ / \ \| | Sanitizer, Second Class,' and a serial number." "A telephone > \\_(\____/)_// sanitizer? A dead telephone sanitizer?" "Best >greg \_\\\/ hoss.unl.edu kind." "But what's he doing here?" "Not a lot." The StyleWriter in not bad, as far as cost, but there are a couple of other problems with it when you are talking about using it with you Apple II. Frist it won't work with the // line simply because it uses TrueType fonts. Right now it only has four fonts, but that can be changed if you convert Post- script fonts to TrueType (there is a program out there that will do this). What would be cool, is Apple implementing that technology into the // line if they can. I would think they could at least implement it into the GS. Robert p.s. I can't remember the exact price, but I think the StyleWriter costs about $599. ******************************************************************************** Real: Robert Brown * Profanity is the one language all Academic Computing Services Lab Manager * programmers know best. Bitnet: RXBROWN@UALR * I speak for me, myself, and I!! AOL: ROBPHD * Tires and tax not included,void where Apple //GS the power to be your best. * prohibited. Member FDIC.............. ********************************************************************************
spock@incom.incom.de (Martin Georg) (04/05/91)
Yes, folks, the facts are, that ...
The StyleWriter won't work on any current Apple II for several reasons:
1.) The Stylewriter doesn't have a ASCII character set built in, which means
that any character-oriented program like AppleWorks Classic won't work.
2.) The StyleWriter uses high-speed serial transfers and a special data com-
pression, something which isn't available on any Apple II today.
3). The StyleWriter is designed to print using the TrueType font technology.
However, no current Apple II computer supports TrueType.
This situation, however, could change when system software 6.0 is released
later this year. It has been already promised by Apple that the serial drivers
would allow higher speeds in future, and incorporating the TrueType technology
into GS/OS also would make sense. And, the StyleWriter would be the perfect
low-cost printer for the graphics-oriented Apple IIgs applications.
Lets hope and see what System Software 6.0 has to offer ...
Martin Georg
Frankfurt, Germany
GEnie: A2.Martin
(Apple IIgs SIG, AUGE e.V., Germany)
----> Apple II forever! <----
that character-oriented programs like AppleWorks Classic wont print.daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang) (04/05/91)
In article <F5ED72BA0020142F@UALR.BITNET> RXBROWN@UALR.BITNET ("MR.FANTASTIC") writes: [ about the StyleWriter printer ] >p.s. I can't remember the exact price, but I think the StyleWriter costs about >$599. List price might be around there (or was it $499?), but with an educational discount, it's much cheaper... There's this ad in the school newspaper here that has "$375" printed in blocky graphics with a caption that says "Your average dot matrix printer"; below that, "$375" is printed in a really good looking font, and the caption says "The new StyleWriter" (or something like that). "Which price looks better?" So, the price is pretty good... street price (non-educational) should be around $450, I think. Definitely no where as high as $599 though... -- David Huang | "Calzoni Pizza: Internet: daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | Delivery in six UUCP: ..!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu!daveh | hours, or else your America Online: DrWho29 | pizza is cold."
MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET (04/05/91)
On Wed, 3 Apr 91 21:10:52 GMT <info-apple-request@APPLE.COM> said: >I saw an ad for the new StyleWriter in the Daily Nebraskan, a campus [--stuff deleted--] >I am tempted to get it, but I am wondering about compatibility with an >Apple IIgs. The StyleWriter will NOT work with ANY Apple II computer, unfortunately. The official papers on it say that it was designed 'specifically' for the Macintosh (i.e. specifically not for the Apple II). I've heard a rumer that they're working on a driver for the GS, but I seriously doubt it'll happen. >/// ____ \\\ "It says, `Golgafrincham Ark Fleet, Ship B, Hold 7, Telephone >| |/ / \ \| | Sanitizer, Second Class,' and a serial number." "A telephone > \\_(\____/)_// sanitizer? A dead telephone sanitizer?" "Best >greg \_\\\/ hoss.unl.edu kind." "But what's he doing here?" "Not a lot." ---------------------------------------- BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm <------------send files here pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com
toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) (04/05/91)
MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET writes: >The StyleWriter will NOT work with ANY Apple II computer, unfortunately. >The official papers on it say that it was designed 'specifically' for the >Macintosh (i.e. specifically not for the Apple II). I've heard a rumer that >they're working on a driver for the GS, but I seriously doubt it'll happen. Ah, the specifically business is because the StyleWriter is totally dependent on the host for bitmap rendering, and Apple likes making a big deal about the graphic nature of the Mac as opposed to the 'character-based' MS-DOS. Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu
hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink) (04/05/91)
Depends who you talk to at apple to find out if you can use the StyleWriter printer with the GS. Apple's own spec sheet is pretty blatant in saying that the printer does not work with the GS. One DTS person at apple stated that the StyleWriter *DOES* work with the GS, all it needed was a driver (Really smart there, as lacking a driver as it does it is practically useless) while another venerable member of DTS spent one long tirade explaining how the StyleWriter won't work on the GS because it is too slow...(The Stylewriter that is). Right now, if you were interested in this printer, you would be better off going with the Canon BJ-10e Bubblejet, which is the excat same mechanism. All you would need to make it work is the printer, which can be had for $309, the document feeder for $65 and the serial port for around $99 (all street prices). You get the same printer with built-in Epson LQ emulation (or IBM Proprinter) and all you need then is one of those driver packages for the GS and third party printers and you are set. The two available ones are Independence by Seven Hills and Harmonie by Vitesse. Having seen samples from both, I tend to favor Harmonie from Vitesse. You can also save the price for the serial option with the Vitesse package, as it supports parallel cards and these run less thanthe serial option, and offer you higher speed in printing. Hope this helps you, Harry uucp : ucrmath!alchemy!hzink | Financial Independence *CAN* be Yours! INET : hzink@alchemy.uucp | 24hr Taped Information Hotline (714) 276-2020 -----------------------------+------------------------------------------------ Wesley: "Captain, this doesn't look like the holodeck to me." Worf: "Ready to cycle airlock, Captain." Picard: "Make it so."
MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET (04/05/91)
On Fri, 5 Apr 91 02:09:34 GMT David H. Huang said: > >>p.s. I can't remember the exact price, but I think the StyleWriter costs about >>$599. > >List price might be around there (or was it $499?), but with an [stuff deleted] >better?" So, the price is pretty good... street price >(non-educational) should be around $450, I think. Definitely no where >as high as $599 though... Retail price for the Stylewriter is $599. The student rate at our University, (Which is higher than most) is a little over $400. Extra info: The retail price for the Imagewriter II is $595... only a $4 difference from the StyleWriter! Kinda makes you wonder... If they can make an ink-jet printer with a higher resolution than a laser printer, then why can't they make a simple dot matrix for a decent price? In Apples spec card for the StyleWriter, it says it won't work with the Apple II... The ImageWriter is the intended printer for the Apple II. That sort of sounds like they don't intend to make a driver for the GS. To someone getting a new computer, it would be a big push for them in the direction of the Mac.... COINCIDENCE??? I really hope that the rumor about Apple making a driver for the GS is true. >-- >David Huang | "Calzoni Pizza: >Internet: daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | Delivery in six >UUCP: ..!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu!daveh | hours, or else your >America Online: DrWho29 | pizza is cold." ---------------------------------------- BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm <------------send files here pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com
greg@hoss.unl.edu (Lig Lury Jr.) (04/06/91)
Okay, so it won't support character-oriented output currently. Would it
be possible to build, cheaply, a between-box which would take character
data from the host, convert it to TrueType, and give it to the
StyleWriter? Such a box would allow it to be used from 8-bit Apple II
applications, printing in nice, crisp, mono-spaced font, single size.
When a driver comes out, flip a switch, and the box becomes invisible (to
the machine, fool). Probably not as simple as that, but it is an idea.
--
/// ____ \\\ "It says, `Golgafrincham Ark Fleet, Ship B, Hold 7, Telephone
| |/ / \ \| | Sanitizer, Second Class,' and a serial number." "A telephone
\\_(\____/)_// sanitizer? A dead telephone sanitizer?" "Best
greg \_\\\/ hoss.unl.edu kind." "But what's he doing here?" "Not a lot."kreme@isis.cs.du.edu (Max Headshop) (04/06/91)
In article <00946998.E0D862C0@Eagle.oscs.montana.edu> ieeug330@Eagle.oscs.montana.edu (Mark Wistey) writes: >I looked one over at the campus bookstore a few days ago. Although it >might be great for some people, the StyleWriter like *all* inkjets >produces ink that smears. If you're desktop publishing, and the output >from your StyleWriter will just be photocopied or multilithed, you're >okay. But if you plan to send letters or print anything to be used >outside (in the rain), better watch out. Even so, this printer will >have a nice niche when the drivers finally come out... |-O <yawn!> You can buy an "inksetter" spray from any art supply store which will bond the ink to the paper. -- | kreme@nyx.cs.du.edu |The Coven BBS (303) 777 2911 PCP via CODEN Stalr*nk too| |---------------------|100 Megs of storage. Areas for IBM/MAC/Apple. Games. | | Hide the wenches and batten down the access codes... year about to be | | BOARDED, Ye scurvy Network News Dogs! Har Har! |
mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) (04/07/91)
As I heard it, the StyleWriter was to be released to work with the TrueType font technology (using equations so that the font can be smoothly scaled to any size). I know you don't want to hear this, but read the article in this month's MacWorld magazine for an in- depth report on the StyleWriter. Apple had to do some work to make the StyleWriter work with the current version of the Mac Finder, otherwise they would have had to wait until the new System 7. Since the big push is on the Mac Classic and it's affordability, Apple wanted to get this new inexpensive printer out the door as soon as possible! That may be a major reason why it doesn't work with the GS. We all know that the Macintosh has priority, and we can live with that as long as Apple still supports the II, and they are working on the driver as we speak! By the way, the Stylewriter is available on campus here for $15 more than an ImageWriter!!! And believe me, the quality is fantastic!! (a high quality printer from Apple for under $400!). I just can't wait to get my hands on the drivers! Perhaps they will be released with GS/OS system 6!!! (okay, maybe I'm too optimistic!). For your information: the StyleWriter comes with TrueType versions of Times, Helvetica, Courier, and Symbol built-in. Waiting patiently for my StyleWriter drivers, System 6 (GS/OS), and ROM 4! Mike
shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) (04/07/91)
In article <5675@vela.acs.oakland.edu> mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) writes: >For your information: the StyleWriter comes with TrueType versions >of Times, Helvetica, Courier, and Symbol built-in. For your information: the StyleWriter comes with an INIT for the MAC which does TrueType. It does -NOT- have -ANY- fonts built-in (ie, in ROM in the printer itself). To drive the printer you send it bitmaps and it prints stuff. andy -- Andy Nicholas GEnie & America-Online: shrinkit Apple IIGS System Software CompuServe: 70771,2615 Apple Computer, Inc. InterNET: shrinkit@apple.com
express@pro-grouch.cts.com (Jeff Goodman) (04/08/91)
In-Reply-To: message from mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu Hmm and I suppose I would be to optimistic to hope that someone would write a driver for the IIe/c that would allow those models use the built in fonts?
mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) (04/08/91)
In article <51273@apple.Apple.COM> shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) writes: >In article <5675@vela.acs.oakland.edu> mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) writes: > >>For your information: the StyleWriter comes with TrueType versions >>of Times, Helvetica, Courier, and Symbol built-in. > >For your information: the StyleWriter comes with an INIT for the MAC which >does TrueType. It does -NOT- have -ANY- fonts built-in (ie, in ROM in the >printer itself). To drive the printer you send it bitmaps and it prints stuff. Andy, Then how come the person who wrote the technical specifications section on the spec sheet bothered to specifically mention those fonts and then added later: "The StyleWriter printer can support additional TrueType fonts from Apple and other suppliers" ??? Don't think I'm trying to misinform anyone here... I just reported the information as I received it... and the information was received from an Apple Dealer. And, while I have your attention: If the IIgs were to send a bitmapped font to the StyleWriter (with the correct driver of course) would the printer print a font with ragged edges, or does TrueType smooth it for us? Or... would we need special support in the driver for certain TrueType fonts?? Just curious... Mike mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) (04/08/91)
In article <5703@vela.acs.oakland.edu> mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) writes: >>>For your information: the StyleWriter comes with TrueType versions >>>of Times, Helvetica, Courier, and Symbol built-in. >>For your information: the StyleWriter comes with an INIT for the MAC which >>does TrueType. It does -NOT- have -ANY- fonts built-in (ie, in ROM in the >>printer itself). To drive the printer you send it bitmaps and it prints stuff >Then how come the person who wrote the technical specifications section >on the spec sheet bothered to specifically mention those fonts and then >added later: "The StyleWriter printer can support additional TrueType >fonts from Apple and other suppliers" ??? Because the person who wrote the spec sheet probably thought "It comes with the TrueType INIT, so they get THESE fonts along with the INIT." The INIT doesn't work on anything other than a Macintosh. >And, while I have your attention: If the IIgs were to send a bitmapped >font to the StyleWriter (with the correct driver of course) would the >printer print a font with ragged edges, or does TrueType smooth it for >us? Or... would we need special support in the driver for certain >TrueType fonts?? The printer doesn't come with TrueType (built into the printer). The printer comes with an INIT that you have to run in your Macintosh that gives your Macintosh TrueType so it can send smooth bitmaps to the StyleWriter. Any printer driver on anything other than a Macintosh won't be using TrueType. It might be using some other kind of font technology (old or new), and the result might be good, or it might be bad -- it would depend on how good a printer driver and how good the font technology was which was making it all go. TrueType provides for reasonably smooth fonts on a Macintosh, and only a Macintosh. And, if someone can write a driver which can incorporate support for TrueType fonts on the GS (considering that I don't think that the spec for it is published outside of Apple), I would be *SERIOUSLY* impressed. andy -- Andy Nicholas GEnie & America-Online: shrinkit Apple IIGS System Software CompuServe: 70771,2615 Apple Computer, Inc. InterNET: shrinkit@apple.com
tbandit@athena.mit.edu (Carlos E Reategui) (04/08/91)
In article <F5ED72BA0020142F@UALR.BITNET> RXBROWN@UALR.BITNET ("MR.FANTASTIC") writes: > >problems with it when you are talking about using it with you Apple II. >Frist it won't work with the // line simply because it uses TrueType fonts. The printer is not a TrueType printer. All the font rendering is done on the computer. The TrueType init will work on most printers out there. >Right now it only has four fonts, but that can be changed if you convert Post- You cannot upload fonts to the StyleWriter. You place the TrueType fonts in your system and then the init takes care of the rest. >What would be cool, is Apple implementing that technology into the // line if >they can. I would think they could at least implement it into the GS. Pretty much what TrueType does is to Patch the Font' manager so that it does the font rendering instead of the standard doubling of dots to make larger font sizes. > >Robert > >p.s. I can't remember the exact price, but I think the StyleWriter costs about >$599. LIst price is $599, street price is about 450 and student discount are around 375 (tahts what I paid for mine). Carlos tbandit@athena.mit.edu
daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang) (04/09/91)
In article <9104051600.AA19825@apple.com> MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET writes: >Retail price for the Stylewriter is $599. The student rate at our University, >(Which is higher than most) is a little over $400. I checked, and I you're right... sorry! >---------------------------------------- > BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm <------------send files here > pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com -- David Huang | "Calzoni Pizza: Internet: daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | Delivery in six UUCP: ..!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu!daveh | hours, or else your America Online: DrWho29 | pizza is cold."
MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET (04/09/91)
T .EDU> On Mon, 8 Apr 91 03:36:49 GMT Michael Heintz said: > >Then how come the person who wrote the technical specifications section >on the spec sheet bothered to specifically mention those fonts and then >added later: "The StyleWriter printer can support additional TrueType >fonts from Apple and other suppliers" ??? The stylewriter comes with a DISK with four truetype fonts on it. You install those fonts on you mac, as well as an init that allows system software 6.0.5 to use truetype (until system 7 comes out). When you print to the stylewriter from the mac, the stylewriter does not receive 'character' data. The mac calculates and draws a page image in the macs memory, THEN it sends that BIT MAP image to the stylewriter. >Don't think I'm trying to misinform anyone here... I just reported the >information as I received it... and the information was received from >an Apple Dealer. ^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's why it's wrong. >And, while I have your attention: If the IIgs were to send a bitmapped >font to the StyleWriter (with the correct driver of course) would the >printer print a font with ragged edges, or does TrueType smooth it for >us? Or... would we need special support in the driver for certain >TrueType fonts?? TryeType doesn't smooth out 'bitmaped fonts'. That's not its job. True Type is just an outlined font. If you send a bitmap font to the stylewriter (from ANY PC), that's what you'll get... a chunky printout (if you're printing it at a large size). If your GS is using TrueType, then the GS would render a page image in the GSs' RAM, then just dump it to the stylewriter . >Mike >mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu ---------------------------------------- BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm <------------send files here pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com
hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink) (04/09/91)
Since a lot of people on this newsgroup are expressing interest in the StyleWriter, here's a few clarifications and some help in getting the same quality printing on the Apple II. First off all, Truetype is the new font technology of apple, and has very little to do with the rest of the graphics. For al practical purposes, the Sttylewriter is a Quickdraw printer that supports Truetype (since that is how the Printmanager gets the font outline anyway). There is no need to translate stuff to Truetype in order to make the Stylewriter work with the Apple II. The big problem lies in the interface, from what I understand, in so far that the Macintosh compresses the data and the Stylewriter decompresses and interprets it for printing. The GS driver would have to do the same which would make it a very slow printer because the Mac Classics already have a hard time and print very slow. The GS being much slower in term sof speed would take forever to print, unfortunately. All hope is not lost, however. The Stylewriter is based on the Canon BJ-10e bubble jet mechanism, with the optional sheet feeder. This Canon printer can be purchase on the street for $309, with an additional $65 for the sheet feeder. It is compatible with the Epson LQ series of rpinters (and the IBM Proprinter as well), and has aparallel interface. All you need to do is get one of those printers, some third party LQ compatible drivers (like Harmonie by Vitesse), a parallel card and you can get 360 dpi output with the same printer for a fraction of what appel charges - plus it can also do raw ascii output. Hope this helps, Harry uucp : ucrmath!alchemy!hzink | Financial Independence *CAN* be Yours! INET : hzink@alchemy.uucp | 24hr Taped Information Hotline (714) 276-2020 -----------------------------+------------------------------------------------ Wesley: "Captain, this doesn't look like the holodeck to me." Worf: "Ready to cycle airlock, Captain." Picard: "Make it so."
spock@incom.incom.de (Martin Georg) (04/09/91)
In article <51273@apple.Apple.COM> shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) writes: >In article <5675@vela.acs.oakland.edu> mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) writes: > >>For your information: the StyleWriter comes with TrueType versions >>of Times, Helvetica, Courier, and Symbol built-in. > >For your information: the StyleWriter comes with an INIT for the MAC which >does TrueType. It does -NOT- have -ANY- fonts built-in (ie, in ROM in the >printer itself). To drive the printer you send it bitmaps and it prints stuff. > Andy, does that mean that the built-in ASIC chip and printer RAM are just there to handle the data decompression and the high-speed serial interface and that these parts have nothing to do with printing with truetype fonts??? If this would be right then all we must have is a driver which uses these new data compression schemes to sent the stylewriter bitmaps ... And, of course, a high-speed serial port. That gives me some hope that we'll see a GS/OS driver some day :-). >andy > >-- >Andy Nicholas GEnie & America-Online: shrinkit >Apple IIGS System Software CompuServe: 70771,2615 >Apple Computer, Inc. InterNET: shrinkit@apple.com Martin Georg Frankfurt/Germany GEnie: A2.Martin (AUGE e.V., Apple IIgs SIG, Germany) ----> Apple II forever! <----
blackman@burst.Princeton.EDU (Scott Michael Blackman) (04/10/91)
In article <51273@apple.Apple.COM> shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) writes: >For your information: the StyleWriter comes with an INIT for the MAC which >does TrueType. It does -NOT- have -ANY- fonts built-in (ie, in ROM in the >printer itself). To drive the printer you send it bitmaps and it prints stuff. It would seem to me, then, that TrueType for the Mac works on the same principle as ATM (Adobe Type Manager), except that it is implemented in the system software (7.0) instead of through an INIT that patches the Font Manager/(and Print Manager?). The StyleWriter INIT is a patch to make the printer work on a non-System 7.0 (non-TrueType system). It would also appear that the same font quality could be achieved using ATM, as long as the printer is a standard QuickDraw printer. Anyway, back to IIgs: Since there has never been a real reason not to implement ATM on the IIgs (well, speed is a "real" reason, and we don't have a standard "outline font" format, like TrueType or ATM's outline fonts), there is still no reason NOT to implement a StyleWriter driver. If, in fact, this driver is written, it could be adapted fairly easily to a fully-ATM-like patcher, which would print to ImageWriters (and screen, and ...) as well. Does this sound sensible? Scott Blackman blackman@phoenix.princeton.edu I wrote HFSLink. Any bugs?
vw3@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Vernon Williams) (04/10/91)
Won't IBM be using TrueType fonts as well? I'd imagine that whether the TrueType specs get published outside of Apple really depends on Apple and the nature of their agreement with IBM. +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ |Vernon L. Williams | Electronic Mail: vw3@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu | |Thomas J. Watson Library | Campus Mail: 130 Uris Hall | |Columbia University | Phone Mail: 212-854-6798 |
shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) (04/10/91)
In article <1991Apr9.071355.7799@incom.incom.de> spock@incom.incom.de (Martin Georg) writes: >>For your information: the StyleWriter comes with an INIT for the MAC which >>does TrueType. It does -NOT- have -ANY- fonts built-in (ie, in ROM in the >>printer itself). To drive the printer you send it bitmaps and it prints stuff >Andy, does that mean that the built-in ASIC chip and printer RAM are just there >to handle the data decompression and the high-speed serial interface and that >these parts have nothing to do with printing with truetype fonts??? Yes. That means *no built in true-type* -- the image is rendered in the host (in this case a mac) and then sent to the printer. The StyleWriter itself doesn't know squat about what a "true-type" font is. It just prints the bitmaps from the host. >Martin Georg andy -- Andy Nicholas GEnie & America-Online: shrinkit Apple IIGS System Software CompuServe: 70771,2615 Apple Computer, Inc. InterNET: shrinkit@apple.com
SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU (04/14/91)
Andy Nicholas in an earlier message writes: > Any printer driver on anything other than a Macintosh won't be using TrueType. > It might be using some other kind of font technology (old or new), and the > result might be good, or it might be bad -- it would depend on how good a > printer driver and how good the font technology was which was making it all > go. TrueType provides for reasonably smooth fonts on a Macintosh, and only > a Macintosh. > And, if someone can write a driver which can incorporate support for TrueType > fonts on the GS (considering that I don't think that the spec for it is > published outside of Apple), I would be *SERIOUSLY* impressed. Hmmm... Truetype fonts were developed by Apple and Microsoft. Which means that chances are, an IBM version might come out. {Depends on the agreement between the two companies} So Apple's not the only company that has the specs. But I don't see any reason why Apple themselves can't make the driver for the GS, but that would be contrary to their previous attitude. Chances are, we'll wait another 4 years for the driver just like we waited 4 years for the real Imagewriter LQ drivers... - Hal | Hal Bouma | Send mail to: SHBoum@Macalstr.edu | Macalester College | and SHBoum@Macalstr.Bitnet | GEnie: H.Bouma | ".Sig Under Construction..."
philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) (04/14/91)
In article <405C908D80218523@MACALSTR.EDU> SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU writes:
[ article related to True Type, StyleWriter, IBM and TT,etc...]
It is really not important to rush out and have a True Type processor
for the GS, and then the capability to use the StyleWriter.
True Type has not been adopted by IBM. They went with display Postscript.
Microsoft did license True Type.
In my opinion, Postscript is a font and imaging method which is not going
to be dislodged by True Type. For now, and for quite some time, Postscript
will remain the standard.
As far as printers go, PCL( HP) is by far the most recognized standard in
laser/inkjet printing. There are GS drivers for HP printers. The Deskjet/
DeskWriter are simply better printers than the StyleWriter, from a speed
and versatility in types of paper.etc...view. Have a look at the review
of the StyleWriter in MacWeek. They are hardly objective, but even they
have to admit that the StyleWriter is nowhere near as good as the
HP inkjet product(s).
In short, if you need a higher quality printer buy HP( or Postscript).
If/when Apple decides to support True Type for the GS, then I would
still go with the Deskjet/Postscript printer.
The StyleWriter is pretty though.
Philip McDunnough
philip@utstat.utoronto.ca
[my opinions,etc...]gammal@CAM.ORG (Michael Gammal) (04/14/91)
Correction System 7 is around now...a friend now has it... it's around 4.2 megs.... -- Michael Gammal Concordia University gammal@Altitude.CAM.ORG
vw3@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Vernon Williams) (04/15/91)
In article <1991Apr14.064031.20617@CAM.ORG> gammal@CAM.ORG (Michael Gammal) writes: >Correction System 7 is around now...a friend now has it... actually it's not. Though there's a beta version out, I don't think that system 7 has been made available to the general public yet. Of course truetype works with system 6.0.7 anyhow. >it's around 4.2 megs.... > > >-- >Michael Gammal Concordia University gammal@Altitude.CAM.ORG > Youch! that's big... and I used to complain about shoehorning the GS's System onto a 3.5" floppy. +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ |Vernon L. Williams | Electronic Mail: vw3@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu | |Thomas J. Watson Library | Campus Mail: 130 Uris Hall | |Columbia University | Phone Mail: 212-854-6798 |
shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) (04/15/91)
In article <1991Apr14.064031.20617@CAM.ORG> gammal@CAM.ORG (Michael Gammal) writes: >Correction System 7 is around now...a friend now has it... >it's around 4.2 megs.... Your friend only has a beta version of Macintosh System 7.0 considering that we haven't officially released 7.0 yet. In fact, no one does because we're not yet done with it. andy -- Andy Nicholas GEnie & America-Online: shrinkit Apple IIGS System Software CompuServe: 70771,2615 Apple Computer, Inc. InterNET: shrinkit@apple.com
tbandit@athena.mit.edu (Carlos E Reategui) (04/15/91)
In article <1991Apr14.064031.20617@CAM.ORG> gammal@CAM.ORG (Michael Gammal) writes: >Correction System 7 is around now...a friend now has it... Not officially, he's got a beta. > >it's around 4.2 megs.... > Wrong. A 7.0 system can be put into about 1.3 meg so that it will fit on a 3.5HD floppy. It does grow quick if you add extensions, cdevs, fonts, etc. > >-- >Michael Gammal Concordia University gammal@Altitude.CAM.ORG Carlos tbandit@athena.mit.edu