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Re: Mac programs and underlying OS



>>>>> "Ken" == krm  <krm@fast.net> writes:
In article <4mm5fj$d3e@nn1.fast.net> krm@fast.net writes:


    Ken> Hi ARDI, In the past it has been mentioned that ARDI would
    Ken> wait until Executor is ported to a more advanced operating
    Ken> system (OS/2, Win 95), before implementing certain
    Ken> funtionality.  I believe that *printing* was one of the areas
    Ken> mentioned.

There are different aspects to printing.  I'll try to give an overview
of the issues.

    Ken> My question is...

    Ken> Will Executor (in the future) directly support Mac printer
    Ken> extensions ie. LaserWriter 8.3.3 or will Executor interface
    Ken> with the printer drivers loaded on the underlying operating
    Ken> system.

One of our goals in the future will be to get as much of Apple's
system software running on top of Executor as possible.  Work would be
done on getting Printer drivers to go, but until we actually do the
work we won't be able to say which, i if any, we can and can't
support.

    Ken> The reason I ask, is because most publishing houses that use
    Ken> Macs are partial to the PostScript produced by a particular
    Ken> printer driver ie. LaserWriter.  In fact some imposition
    Ken> software *only* works with PostScript files produced by
    Ken> specific versions of Mac printer extensions.

There are other printing things that we'll be doing other than trying
to get Apple code to run under Executor.  One thing will be leveraging
off the existing printing subsystems of other operating systems.  We
already do this under NEXTSTEP, so if we can pull off the same feat
under Windows '95, we may wind up with output that can be printed
anywhere that Windows '95 output can be.  I realize that this isn't
the same as specific versions of Mac printer extensions, but I would
guess that over time more software will accept Windows '95 output.

In addition, we currently only implement a little less than half of
the printer comments described in the new Inside Macintosh books.  In
fact, our rotated text implementation was broken until beta1.  We'll
implement the remaining ones fairly soon after the post E2 Executor
source restructuring is completed.  Implementing these should result
in better PostScript output than Executor currently produces.

Without specific details of which programs expect what types of
PostScript, I eally can't guess which, if any, of the above additions
to our printing subsystem will help in the areas you're thinking
about.

    Ken> Your thoughts?

    Ken> Ken Maritch (registered Executor user) Advanced Technical
    Ken> Projects R. R. Donnelley krm@fast.net ken.maritch@rrd.com

--Cliff
ctm@ardi.com


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