OS/2 Shareware BBS: 22 gnu/22-gnu.zip/gs301.txt

Text File | 1994-09-27 | 19KB | 462 lines

   Copyright (C) 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994 Aladdin Enterprises.  All rights reserved.

  This file is part of Aladdin Ghostscript.

  Aladdin Ghostscript is distributed with NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  No author
  or distributor accepts any responsibility for the consequences of using it,
  or for whether it serves any particular purpose or works at all, unless he
  or she says so in writing.  Refer to the Aladdin Ghostscript Free Public
  License (the "License") for full details.

  Every copy of Aladdin Ghostscript must include a copy of the License,
  normally in a plain ASCII text file named PUBLIC.  The License grants you
  the right to copy, modify and redistribute Aladdin Ghostscript, but only
  under certain conditions described in the License.  Among other things, the
  License requires that the copyright notice and this notice be preserved on
  all copies.

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****************************************************
* This file describes version 3.01 of Ghostscript. *
****************************************************

********
******** An overview of Ghostscript ********
********

Ghostscript is the name of a set of software that provides:

    - An interpreter for the PostScript (TM) language, and

    - A set of C procedures (the Ghostscript library) that implement
the graphics capabilities that appear as primitive operations in the
PostScript language.

Ghostscript is a copyrighted work (Aladdin Enterprises owns the copyright);
it is not shareware or in the public domain.  Different versions of it are
distributed with three different licenses:

    - Versions entitled "Aladdin Ghostscript" are distributed with a
license called the Aladdin Ghostscript Free Public License that allows free
use, copying, and distribution by end users, but does not allow commercial
distribution.  You can always get the current version of Aladdin
Ghostscript with this license by Internet FTP from
    ftp.cs.wisc.edu:/pub/ghost/aladdin/ghostscript*NNNN*
or
    /afs/cs.wisc.edu/public/pub/ghost/aladdin/ghostscript*NNNN*
where NNNN is the version number.  If you do not have convenient access to
the Internet, Aladdin Enterprises can send you Aladdin Ghostscript on
PC-compatible diskettes for a small fee; please contact Aladdin for more
information.  The address and phone number are given below.

    - Versions entitled "GNU Ghostscript" are distributed with the GNU
General Public License, which allows free use, and free copying and
redistribution under certain conditions (including, in some cases,
commercial distribution).  You can always get the current version of GNU
Ghostscript by Internet FTP from
    ftp.cs.wisc.edu:/pub/ghost/gnu/ghostscript*NNNN*
or
    /afs/cs.wisc.edu/public/pub/ghost/gnu/ghostscript*NNNN*
or from any of the GNU distribution sites, such as ftp.uu.net:/systems/gnu
or gatekeeper.dec.com:/pub/GNU; you can also get GNU Ghostscript on tape or
CD-ROM from the Free Software Foundation.  For a more complete list of
sites, including sites outside the U.S., send e-mail to
[e-mail].

    - Versions of Ghostscript are available for commercial licensing
under a completely different name.  See below for more details.

Aladdin Ghostscript and GNU Ghostscript come with NO WARRANTY and NO
SUPPORT.  If you have a question or a bug to report, please see the section
"Trouble reporting" below for information about what to do.

GNU Ghostscript versions are released approximately a year after the
corresponding Aladdin Ghostscript version.

GNU Ghostscript may not be incorporated into commercial products which
forbid copying or for which customers cannot obtain source code for no more
than the cost of reproduction, although it may be distributed
("aggregated") with commercial products; Aladdin Ghostscript may not be
incorporated into commercial products at all, and may only be distributed
commercially under extremely limited circumstances.  However, Ghostscript
is also available for commercial licensing.  For more information about
commercial licensing of Ghostscript, please contact Aladdin Enterprises'
commercial distribution partners, which are the only entities legally
authorized to distribute Ghostscript per se on any terms other than the GNU
or Aladdin free licenses:

    In the U.S. and all parts of the world except Europe:

        Miles Jones
        Director of Marketing
        Artifex Software Inc.
        454 Las Gallinas Ave., suite 108
        San Rafael, CA 94903  U.S.A.
        voice [phone]
        fax [phone]
        e-mail: [e-mail]

    In Europe, as a representative of Artifex Software:

        quick System Service
        Christoph Strozyk
        Sprockhoeveler Str. 55
        58455 Witten
        Germany
        Tel. [phone]
        Fax. [phone]
        e-mail: [e-mail]

    (quickSyS also provides commercial support for the free versions.)

The Ghostscript source code distribution includes a library written by the
Independent JPEG Group (IJG).  This library does NOT fall under the GNU
License; it comes with its own license, which is less restrictive.  For
more information, please see the README file in the jpeg subdirectory of
the Ghostscript source code.  The executable versions of Ghostscript are
based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

The Ghostscript language interpreter and library are written entirely in C,
with some assembly-language accelerators for MS-DOS platforms.

GNU Ghostscript is known to run on the following platform families:

    - A wide variety of Unix systems using X Windows version 11,
      release 4 and 5, including Sun-3, Sun-4, Sun-386i, Sun
      SPARCStation 1 and 2; generic 80386 machines running 386/ix,
      ISC Unix, and SCO Unix; H-P 9000/300 and 9000/800;
      DECStation 2100 and 3100; VAX running Ultrix; Sequent Symmetry;
      Convex C1 and C2; Tektronix 4300; SGI Iris Indigo;

    - Sun workstations (Sun-3, SPARC, Sun-386i) running SunView;

    - VAX, VMS with X11R4/5 and gcc.  (Ghostscript currently is
      not compatible with the DEC C compilers, because they
      interpret the ANSI C standard in a way different from all
      other known compilers.)

Aladdin Ghostscript is known to run on all of the above, and additionally
the following platform families:

    - IBM PC and compatibles with EGA, VGA, SuperVGA, or compatible
      graphics under MS-DOS 3.1, 3.3, or 5.0, with or without
      Microsoft Windows 3.0 or 3.1;

    - IBM PC and compatibles under DR DOS 6.0;

    - IBM PC and compatibles under OS/2 2.0 and 2.1.

It is very likely that Ghostscript will run under other versions of
MS-DOS, and other versions of Unix that support X11, but it has not been
tested in these environments.  (Ghostscript does not run well on
PC-compatibles with Hercules display cards, since text and graphics output
interfere with each other, but you can work around this by redirecting the
text output to a file.)

Other platforms
---------------

Ghostscript has also been ported a number of platforms by users, who are
willing to be contacted regarding problems on those specific platforms:

    - For information on a port to the Atari ST, contact Tim
    Gallivan ([e-mail]).

    - For information on a port to the Acorn Archimedes, contact
    David Elworthy ([e-mail]).

    - For information on a port to the Apple Macintosh, contact
    Martin Fong ([e-mail]).

********
******** Related work
********

We know of three freely available X Windows screen previewers based on
Ghostscript: Ghostview, GSPreview, and xpsview.  For information on
Ghostview, contact Tim Theisen ([e-mail]).  For information on
GSPreview, contact Richard Hesketh ([e-mail]).  xpsview, which can
use either Ghostscript or Display PostScript as its imager according to a
command line switch, is available for anonymous FTP from
    gatekeeper.dec.com:/pub/DEC/PRL/psview-1.29.tar.Z
(the version number may be different) and on the Alpha OSF/1 freeware
CDROM; the author is Francois Bourdoncle ([e-mail]).

There is a freely available MS Windows screen previewer based on
Ghostscript, called GSView for Windows, and a similar OS/2 previewer called
PM GSview.  For technical information on GSview for Windows or PM GSview,
contact Russell Lang ([e-mail]).  These programs are also
available for commercial licensing from Artifex Software Inc.

A set of additions that provide a usable Kanji capability for Ghostscript
version 2.4.1 is available for anonymous FTP from
ftp.cs.titech.ac.jp:GNU/gs241j11.tar.Z.  For more information, please
contact Mr. Norio Katayama ([e-mail]).  Mr. Katayama is
working on adapting this package for newer Ghostscript versions
(specifically, for versions 2.6.1 and 3.0), and expects to make the newer
version of the package available sometime in 1994.

********
******** Documentation overview ********
********

All the file names mentioned in the documentation, except for README,
are in lower case, which is the usual convention for Unix systems.
On MS-DOS systems, all file names are actually upper-case.

When you receive Ghostscript, you should start by reading:

> README - this file.

> current.doc - information about problems, and major changes and new
features in the current release.

If you have used a previous release of Ghostscript, you probably
should also read any more recent sections of:

> NEWS - a complete, detailed history of changes in the most recent
Ghostscript releases.

Especially for new users
------------------------

If you are a new user of Ghostscript, you should read:

> use.doc - information about to install and use Ghostscript.  This
information is also contained in gs.1 - a `man' page for Ghostscript.

> devices.doc - more detailed information about specific devices that
Ghostscript knows about.

> ps2epsi.doc, unix-lpr.doc - more detailed information about some of
the shell scripts and batch files distributed with Ghostscript.

If you are going to compile Ghostscript, rather than just use an
executable you got from somewhere, you should read:

> make.doc - how to install, compile and link Ghostscript.

If you run into any questions, or if you are going to be using
Ghostscript extensively, you should at least skim, and probably
eventually read:

> fonts.doc - information about the fonts distributed with
Ghostscript, including how to add or replace fonts.

> language.doc - A description of the Ghostscript language, and its
differences from the documented PostScript language.

> psfiles.doc - information about the .ps files distributed with
Ghostscript (other than fonts).

Especially for developers
-------------------------

If you are going to be writing a new driver for Ghostscript, you
should read:

> drivers.doc - the interface between Ghostscript and device drivers.

> xfonts.doc - the interface between Ghostscript and platform-supplied
fonts.  (Read drivers.doc first.)

If you are considering distributing Ghostscript (either Aladdin or GNU
versions) in conjunction with a commercial product, you should read the
PUBLIC license carefully, and you should also read:

> commprod.doc - additional clarification of the circumstances under which
Ghostscript can be distributed with a commercial product.

If you intend to use Ghostscript in the form of a DLL under OS/2 or
Microsoft Windows, you should read:

> dll.doc - documentation on Ghostscript as a DLL.

Other files
-----------

> devarch.doc - notes on the architecture of device handling in
Ghostscript 3.0.

> ps2epsi.doc - documentation for the PostScript to EPSI conversion
utility.

> helpers.doc - a note of thanks to all the people who have helped with
Ghostscript development.

> hershey.doc - information about the Hershey fonts, which are the
basis of some of the Ghostscript fonts.

> history.doc - a history of changes in older Ghostscript releases.

> humor.doc - a humorous comment on Ghostscript contributed by a user.

> lib.doc - information about the Ghostscript library.

> unix-lpr.doc - information about how to integrate Ghostscript with
Unix printer spooling.

********
******** If you need help ********
********

There is a Frequently Asked Questions file available for Internet anonymous
FTP from
    ftp.ruhr.de:/pub/ghostscript/gs.faq
or, if this doesn't work, from
    ftp.cs.wisc.edu:/pub/ghost/gs.faq-NNN
or
    /afs/cs.wisc.edu/public/pub/ghost/gs.faq-NNN
where NNN is a version number.

Aladdin Enterprises doesn't have the resources to respond to questions from
users of the freely available versions of Ghostscript.  (Responding to
questions and bug reports is one of the benefits that Artifex Software
provides to commercial users in exchange for the licensing fee.)  If you
have problems with Ghostscript, and you have access to Usenet news, we
suggest you post your question to gnu.ghostscript.bug.  There are hundreds
of Ghostscript user sites all over the world, and often another user will
be able to help you.  (If you have access to Internet mail, but not news,
send e-mail to [e-mail], which is equivalent to
posting to the gnu.ghostscript.bug newsgroup.)  If you are having trouble
with a specific device driver, look in the file devs.mak and see if it is a
user-maintained driver.  If so, please contact the person listed there
directly; please do not contact Aladdin Enterprises regarding
user-maintained drivers.

Aladdin Enterprises does want Ghostscript to be of high quality, so if you
have been running Ghostscript and encounter a problem, we will consider
investigating it if you meet all the following criteria:

    - You are using the most recent version of Aladdin Ghostscript.

    - You obtained Ghostscript directly from Aladdin Enterprises, or
    from the FTP or AFS site on the Internet mentioned above (i.e., not
    from a bulletin board system or a commercial system such as
    CompuServe or GEnie).

    - You have installed Ghostscript successfully, and used it
    successfully on other input data.

    - Your problem is reproducible, and you can send us the input
    data that evokes it (by e-mail, anonymous FTP, or PC diskette).
    (But please do not send anything unless we ask you for it.)

    - Your bug report tells us what hardware, operating system,
    window system, and C compiler you are using.

Bug reports that include suggested fixes are especially welcome.

Aladdin Enterprises generally will not investigate problems in GNU
Ghostscript; however, we do read the gnu.ghostscript.bug newsgroup and will
take into consideration any questions or comments posted there.  At this
time, there is no separate newsgroup for Aladdin Ghostscript; we hope to
establish one in the near future.

As time permits, Aladdin Enterprises may also respond to e-mail from the
following classes of users:

    - Beta testers who have actually given us at least one report on
    some beta version supplied to them.

    - People developing drivers that are for, or applications that
    are based on, Ghostscript and that will be made freely available.

    - People who express serious interest in commercial licensing
    of Ghostscript.

Aladdin Enterprises owns or has access to the following hardware and
software:

    80486 PC, color SuperVGA display; Epson-compatible printer
      (the printer also is compatible with the IBM Proprinter);
      various H-P printers; Canon BubbleJet.  This system runs
      both MS-DOS 5.0 and Microsoft Windows 3.1 with Borland C++
      3.1 (and several older versions), and Linux with gcc.

    SPARCstation, SunOS 4.1, cc and gcc, X11R5 and SunView;
      both monochrome and color displays.

    DECstation, Ultrix.

    IBM RS/6000, Unix.

    DEC AXP (Alpha), Ultrix.

If your problem turns out to be specific to some other hardware or
software configuration, it may take longer to track down, since we
will have to rely on other users to help.

Aladdin's contact information is as follows:

        Aladdin Enterprises
        P.O. box 60264
        Palo Alto, CA 94306
        voice [phone]
        fax [phone]
        [e-mail]

If you call on the phone, you will usually be talking to an answering
machine.  In this case, please leave a message with your name and
phone number and the best time for us to return the call.

********
******** Things you can do to help ********
********

There are some projects that users could do that are somewhat
decoupled from the main body of the code, and that would help improve
Ghostscript:

    - Someone is needed to take responsibility for texinfo and/or man
page documentation for Ghostscript.  What this would involve is updating
this documentation during the beta test period for each release, and
sending it to Aladdin to be included in the final fileset.  (Aladdin would
continue to supply the plain-text documentation as it currently exists.)

    - Ghostscript needs some good, free, Type 1 (outline) fonts.  Karl
Berry is working on this, but it might go faster if he got some
knowledgeable assistance.  Contact [e-mail] if you want to help
with this.

    - Adobe has donated the specification of the Display PostScript C
API to the X distribution, as well as the client-side implementation.
Modifying Ghostscript to interface with this code as a substitute for a
Display PostScript server might make Ghostscript a lot more useful, since
it would then be "plug compatible" with Display PostScript in an important
way.  Contact [e-mail] if you would like to help with this.

    - Ghostscript should provide compression and decompression filters
that use the same algorithms as gzip.  This would require restructuring
gzip to use Ghostscript's buffer-to-buffer model of stream processing, and
simplifying it so that the compression and decompression code could
reasonably fit in a single file.  Please contact [e-mail] if you
would like to do this.

********
******** Acknowledgements ********
********

Ghostscript was originally created, and is primarily developed and
maintained, by L. Peter Deutsch, President of Aladdin Enterprises.

Special thanks are due to Russell Lang, for the GSview for Windows and PM
GSview programs and for contributing most of the code for the Microsoft
Windows and OS/2 environments; to Tim Theisen, for the Ghostview program
for X Windows and for major contributions to, and ongoing assistance with
support of, the code for the X Windows environment; and to the Independent
JPEG Group, for creating the JPEG DCT library that Ghostscript uses.

Special thanks are due to Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation
for originating the GNU License, for originally motivating the creation of
Ghostscript, and for being the primary distributor of GNU Ghostscript on
the Internet.

The file helpers.doc contains a list of all the many other people who have
contributed significantly to improving Ghostscript.

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PostScript is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Incorporated.