On 4/17/06, Doofus <doofus@bulldoghome.com> wrote:
My potted understanding is that unix/linux applications generally output
postscript formatted data for printing and since Joe Public can't afford
a postcript capable printer, postscript interpreters (eg ghostscript)
have been developed which sit in between postscript data streams and non
postscript (HP PCL?) printers. Do correct me if I'm wrong with any of this.
I have never heard of a separate PS interpreter, they may be out there,
but it isn't anything you need, because Linux can talk to PCL printers
and PS printers are not all that expensive anymore. It is true that all
printing in Linux goes through a PS stage, but there is software that
translates to PCL.
I've been looking at the Brother range, in particular the HL-5250DN...
http://www.printerbase.co.uk/spec/pdf/brother_hl5250dn.pdf
(spec on page 2)
The general impression I get is that for laser printers on Linux
Brother, Samsung and HP are the best, but I don't have any
specific recommendations.
My main query in respect of this printer is Brother's "BR-Script". Does
anyone understand this? Is it a proprietary effort to do the same thing
as ghostscript, or does it mean you can actually treat the printer like
a real postscript machine?
BR-Script is a PostScript work-alike. It is not called Postscript because
Adobe owns PS and Brother does not want to pay them (similar to
the situation regarding Mesa, OpenGL and SGI). You can send PS
docs to a BR-Script printer.