Newsgroups: vmsnet.misc,vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks,comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: How to use a non-DEC postscript printer???
From: tp@mccall.com (Terry Poot)
Date: Tue,  5 Jan 1993 10:58:58 CST
Reply-To: tp@mccall.com (Terry Poot)
Organization: The McCall Pattern Co., Manhattan, KS, USA
Nntp-Posting-User: tp


In article <31DEC199209514502@author.gsfc.nasa.gov>,
rkoehler@author.gsfc.nasa.gov (Bob Koehler) writes:
>The CPS software inquires from the printer as to what kind of printer it is.
>If its not recognized, it assumes DEC LN03R (Scriptprinter), and utilizes 
>vendor and model specific knowledge in communicating to the "LN03R".  Of
>course, if its not an LN03R, that's likely not to work.  

I always wondered how DEC managed to not support a standard Postscript printer.
Thanks for the info. If they weren't trying to lock you into their own printers,
of course, they'd assume a standard Postscript printer if they didn't recognize
what they got back. Assuming an LN03R is ludicrous, since that is one they WOULD
recognize! I wonder what marketting guru thought of that little ploy.

>DEC is comming out
>with a new software package which might expand into knowlegde of non-DEC
>printers, but I haven't seen any promises as to what will be supported.

I just got a blurb on it from the Digital Reference Service, but I threw it out
after looking it over and not seeing my printer on the list. Only a very few
non-DEC printers are supported. One is the LaserWriter series, which I believe
requires custom setup. If any of the others are relatively normal beasts, it
might be that the new software _could_ support them, but if it continues to
check for specific supported printers and assumes everything else is something
they know it isn't, then it won't work any better than the current stuff. Cute,
huh?

BTW, it would almost certainly be possible, with a sufficient knowlege of
Postscript, to program your printer to lie about what it is. Of course, one must
first get that program on to the printer, but once loaded, it could be made to
survive until the next power cycle. If the printer has a hard disk, it might
even be possible to make the change permanent. That way, if any supported
printers are reasonably compatible with yours, you could fake out the software.

I've always thought it was stupid how DEC will go to great lengths not to
support something not on their list, when letting it work would be easier (modem
support for DSNlink springs immediately to mind). Account control is the only
possible motivation for this.

>Various third party vendors offer solutions to these problems, I don't have
>the
>names of the top of my head, but your Brother and/or DEC salesmen might
>actualy know.

I use a Data Products Postscript laser printer. The software I use instead of
DEC's stuff is ScriptServer by GrayMatter software - +1.206.281.8800. Their
licensing policies are a bit stupid for small clusters of small machines, but
the software itself is fine. Not having used DEC's software, I can't compare
them, but I'm happy with ScriptServer. I believe there is also free software
available from DECUS, but I haven't used it either, and don't know the name of
it. I'm unaware of any other products, but they're probably out there.
--
Terry Poot <tp@mccall.com>                   The McCall Pattern Company
(uucp: ...!rutgers!depot!mccall!tp)          615 McCall Road
(800)255-2762, in KS (913)776-4041           Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
Newsgroups: vmsnet.misc,vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks,comp.os.vms