Postscript output

Excerpt from out-opts discussion mailing list:

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 16:55:11 -0500
To: out-opts@TreeO.com (Out-opts List)
From: David E. Le Vine (david@TreeO.com)
Subject: [out-opts]- Postscript info

The question of what Postscript is, what it does, and it's advantages/disadvantages seems to be a reoccurring topic here at out-opts.

Last time it was mentioned, answers these questions were not addressed. I had thought there was information about it at the Out-Opts Web Site, but upon further investigation, I discovered only an empty page on RIPS (Raster Image Processors). Postscript (a vector-based PAGE DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE owned by Adobe) uses a RIP to translate it's code to pixels which are written to the output device.

Postscript is called RESOLUTION INDEPENDENT, as the RIP translates it's output to match the dpi (dots per inch) of the printer or other output device such as an imagesetter.

Postscript is vector based, meaning paths (lines, outlines, and curves) are used to describe the page instead of dots (pixels). Artwork created in pixels (picture elements) is called raster graphics. Photoshop is a raster graphics program.

Postscript excels at type. It produces type of the HIGHEST RESOLUTION the output device is capable of.

Vector graphic files (Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia FreeHand, Corel Draw, etc.) are generally smaller than raster graphics files, as the program only needs to store the mathematical description of the lines (paths). The artwork, however is scalable to huge dimensions without any aliasing (jaggies).

Hope this helps. I am planning an update to this info at the web site soon. More discussion here will help me refine the information (is it too technical?) So, please, ask away, or put in your 2 cents.

David
out-opts moderator

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