John Burke writes:

> I'm still seriously annoyed that we apparently will only be able to
>  print directly to PostScript printers. We probably have 50 LaserJets,
>  but not a single one is PostScript. Haven't needed it so why pay the
>  extra freight? HP also has never really promoted PostScript printing.
>
>  There have been many times when I've found it essential to print several
>  pages of documentation from the LaserROM CD. Is HP saying I now have to
>  buy a PostScript printer to use this new and improved Instant
>  Information product? #^$@&#$

While it won't do anything to help calm John's disgruntlement, at least the
good news is that PostScript (as a genuine Adode PostScript clone) appears to
be now included as a standard feature, at no extra charge, in all new HP
LaserJets.

PostScript would undoubtedly be a much more common printing language if Adobe
weren't such a difficult company to deal with. I'm sure the reason that HP
recently went with a clonal version of PostScript is because Adobe held out
for too high a price -- and that's exactly the same mistake that Adobe made 15
years ago.

If they had not kept the initial price of PostScript (then something
approaching a thousand dollars per printer) so extraordinarily high, HP would
have never developed PCL as a separate and distinct printing language. Rather,
if they had properly imitated the very low unit costs that Bill Gates
associates with his equally elaborate products, Adobe would have owned the
printing world by now -- and most likely be equally accused of "predatory
pricing practices", with Janet Reno breathing down their necks.

Wirt Atmar