Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!primerd!barry
From: barry@primerd.prime.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: looking for pd laser jet driver
Message-ID: <160700048@primerd>
Date: 13 Aug 89 23:05:00 GMT
References: <2263@csun.edu>
Lines: 46
Nf-ID: #R:csun.edu:-226300:primerd:160700048:000:2287
Nf-From: primerd.prime.com!barry    Aug 13 19:05:00 1989


>/* Written 12:18 am  Aug 10, 1989 by robin@csun.UUCP in primerd:comp.sys.mac */
>/* ---------- "looking for pd laser jet driver" ---------- */
>Has anyone written a pd printer driver for the hp laserjet?  If not,
>what is the best commercial offering?  I have used Printworks and
>have not been happy with it.  I would appreciate any suggestions...
>Thanks.
>Robin Goldstone,  Systems Software Specialist
>California State University, Chico  Computer Center
>robin@csuchico.edu

I'm not surprized to hear that Printworks has been unsatisfactory.  I
tried it and found it to be slowest of all DeskJet drivers w/o any
compensating virtues.  The two best DeskJet drivers are MacPrint from
Insight Development and Jetlink Express from GDT Softworks.  Both list
for $149, but MacPrint is available from MacWherehouse for $70.  I've
tried them both; they're both quite good. 

MacPrint is best choice if you plan to use fonts defined in the DeskJet. 
MacPrint can generate Mac screen fonts that match the printer fonts in
DeskJet and in font cartridges.  MacPrint can combine bit mapped fonts
and printer fonts in same line. 

Get Jetlink Express if you plan to do graphics output and work with
documents that were prepared on another system using PostScript fonts. 
Jetlink Express comes with scalable outline fonts that correspond to
Times, Helvetica, Symbol, and Courier.  Additional outline fonts are
available.  Jetlink Express can do image scaling, rotation, etc.  It is
by far the fastest driver. 

Either of these drivers is far superior to Printworks Laser Version.

The Finnish public domain driver is available from SUMEX and SIMTEL
archives.  It works reasonably well, but doesn't do landscape printing. 
There's little control over draft output. 

Unless money is really tight, get either MacPrint or Jetlink Express.

Barry
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry Wolman                      | barry@s66.prime.com
Principal Technical Consultant    | 492 Old Connecticut Path
Prime Computer                    | Framingham, MA 01701
                                  | 508/626-1700, ext. 4187
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing in this posting reflects an official position of Prime Computer.