ps is a native language for a lot of printers. If you've ever used an Apple
LaserWriter, then you've used native postscript. LPD converts _everything_
to postscript for printing. the quickest reason I can think of to convert a
pdf to ps, is so you can just use the command line 'lpr filename.ps' to
print a pdf document.
There's a really big fallacy with the belief that PDF files can't be edited.
The biggest benefit of PDF is that the output is very predictable no matter
where its displayed. Unlike MSWord files, where differences in fonts or
translations between different platforms or versions or localities of the
app can cause the document to look different. The read-only restriction is
placed in the application that is viewing the document. If you write your
own app, using the adobe published spec, and leave out the bit abound
write-protecting the document, then the user can edit any PDF file they
receive. This has pissed Adobe off on a few occasions. But then, they're the
company trying to sue the KIllustrator project because of their name.
I ask anyone who wants to view PDF documents in linux to use xpdf or
(g)gv{ (Gnome)GhostView. }. Despite creating a great, freely-available
document specification, Adobe has repeatedly disappointed when it comes to
Linux and Open Source.
-Tim
<p>----- Original Message -----
From: "john beamon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 9:31 PM
Subject: Re: [brluglist] WINE
<p><em>> I posted a question just a day or two ago about Postscript. Never used
<em>> it. Never heard of it until I found it in my Linux install. I'm curious
<em>> why one even *would* convert pdf to ps before printing? Is that just for
<em>> editing the files, instead?
<em>>
<em>> BTW, I noticed tonight that Acroread, the free reader, has a facility for
<em>> filling out PDF forms built in. Didn't know you could leave an editable
<em>> blank in a PDF for someone else to fill in later and send back!
<em>>
<em>> --
<em>> -j
<em>>
<em>> On 10 Jul 2001, Tim Fournet wrote:
<em>>
<em>> > Date: 10 Jul 2001 18:04:23 -0500
<em>> > From: Tim Fournet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
<em>> > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<em>> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<em>> > Subject: Re: [brluglist] WINE
<em>> >
<em>> > Hmm.. I just ran the command:
<em>> >
<em>> > pdf2ps inputfile.pdf outputfile.ps
<em>> >
<em>> > and got a nice respectable postscript file. Also in the GS package is
<em>> > the pdf2text utililty that will convert
<em>> > to text, but lose the graphics. As most of you know, postscript is the
<em>> > native format of linux printing, and most modern commercial-grade
<em>> > printers. These capabilities can be easily added to any open source
<em>> > program just by calling the external programs or libraries. You don't
<em>> > have to pay for software to be able to manipulate PDF files. Ghostscript
<em>> > is even available for Windows.
<em>> >
<em>> > On 10 Jul 2001 16:49:35 -0700, Chopin Cusachs wrote:
<em>> > >
<em>> > > Need to be careful. PDF is a one way street.
<em>> > > Word Perfect, current version, can export to it,
<em>> > > but not open and modify a document once encoded.
<em>> > > To do that you need to pay more than I can justify
<em>> > > to get the Acrobat program.
<em>> > >
<em>> > > PDF documents can take forever to download on
<em>> > > a slow dialup connection; I tend to avoid them for
<em>> > > this reason. Even downloading the free reader
<em>> > > took a couple of hours. PDF format, I understand,
<em>> > > is very much like a postscript stream enclosed in
<em>> > > file packaging. It is not to be confused with the
<em>> > > postscript printer language or the Ghost program
<em>> > > for replicating hard drives or ghostwriter module
<em>> > > to print to a Wintel printer. I much prefer plain
<em>> > > text.
<em>> > >
<em>> > > If you just want to read and print a MS Word document,
<em>> > > you can use WordPad, a part of Windows, or download
<em>> > > a viewer/printer, free from Microsoft. WordPad has some
<em>> > > basic editing capabilities, but not the editor of choice
<em>> > > for Dustin's next book.
<em>> > >
<em>> > > Choppy
<em>> > >
<em>> > >
<em>> > > At 01:34 PM 7/10/01 -0700, you wrote:
<em>> > > >Right, I'm familiar with all the utilities that
<em>> > > >convert to PDF. I meant the office type apps. Which
<em>> > > >makes me wonder if Open Office has this capability?
<em>> > >
<em>> > >
<em>> > > ================================================
<em>> > > BRLUG - The Baton Rouge Linux User Group
<em>> > > Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information.
<em>> > > Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change
<em>> > > your subscription information.
<em>> > > ================================================
<em>> >
<em>> >
<em>> > ================================================
<em>> > BRLUG - The Baton Rouge Linux User Group
<em>> > Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information.
<em>> > Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change
<em>> > your subscription information.
<em>> > ================================================
<em>> >
<em>>
<em>> ================================================
<em>> BRLUG - The Baton Rouge Linux User Group
<em>> Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information.
<em>> Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change
<em>> your subscription information.
<em>> ================================================
<em>>
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Visit http://www.brlug.net for more information.
Send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] to change
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