Mail Archives: djgpp/1996/08/09/15:56:15
At 04:17 09/08/96 GMT, Alistair Hamilton wrote:
>root <root AT alamar DOT in-motion DOT net> wrote:
>
>>The best way to learn PCL, is to order a HP LaserJet III manual
>>from HP direct. This book contains extensive references to how
>>to program with PCL4. Highly recommended by me. Their support
>>service does have some info, but the book does a better job of
>>explaining what each code means.
>
>>As to PS, PCL and PS are almost identical at the metaphor level.
>>It's just that PS is written backwards.
>
>>Your Welcome,
>>Chris
>Yes, but "ordering" defeats the point of a free, but usable
>development system. Also, look at all the flak some poor chap for
>wanting to do his own graphics programming when libraries are
>available. I don't want to get involved in all this low-level stuff -
>all I want to do is to be able to print nice things.
>
I do not agree that the issues you rise __defeats__ the main principles
behind FREE SOFTWARE.
As Richard Stallman points in his Manifesto and has been reiterated in
several other documents from people which contribute to the project.
Firstly the issue of free is not tied ONLY to the "gratis" meaning of the
word! The benefits of free software are in its full availablity, including
sources so YOU can fix waht bothers you most without having to beg to some
supplier/manufacturer for a patch or whatsoever, while The Company sees you
as A Customer!
Secondly, (also in the vein of FREE SOFTWARE) if some needed feature or
correction cannot be addressed by the person who is willing it, there are
several alternatives:
Professionals can be hired for a fee, afterwards their work is
contributed to community,
Some acquaintance of yours may be able to do the job for you, which
may alleviate the need for payment.
You could ask for people in the net, may someone already addressed a
problem similar you're struggling, just the work was not released yet...
Notwithstanding, bashing will not bring answers!
>I find it beyond the realms of belief that the issue of printing, so
>basic to just about every application, has not been sorted. If it has
>not, it seems that all DJGPP is good for is text-based apps and games.
>I don't see that it has any serious future.
Humm, may you please inform what are the facilities offered by the
competitors of DJGPP, in its field i,e MS-DOS, in this respect?
>
>Printing is a piece of cake in Windows. Maybe this is the best
>argument in favout of Turbo C++ Win, yet!
>
Reasonable. We could cooperate on developping some sort of similar support
writing [universal] drivers, or perhaps using the DXE mechanism supported by
DJGPP (gentlemen please no flames! I did not expend much time thinking on
this, just examples...).
>Now, there's a challenge, you bright folks!
Great, some of us love challenges, but what kind of share in the work are
you willing to give?
>
>Alistair.
>
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cesar Scarpini Rabak E-mail: csrabak AT ipt DOT br
DME/ASC Phone: 55-11-268-35221Ext.350
IPT - Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas Fax: 55-11-268-5996
Av. Prof. Almeida Prado, 532. Sao Paulo - SP 05508-901 BRAZIL
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