[Gnome-print] Re: [Gimp-print-devel] An introduction to gnome-print (fwd)

[Miguel de Icaza <miguel helixcode com>]

> What's broken is LPD, and the sooner we eliminate LPD from the scene
> the better.

Among other things.

> Um, problem *not* solved.
> 
> Do some math: 8.5x11x1440x720x3 (assuming 24-bit RGB at device
> resolution) = 85MB for a single page of graphics if you RIP the
> entire bitmap in memory.  Double that for a tabloid size printer,
> and forget about it if you hook up a large-format plotter (E size
> = 1.4GB)

Dude, you are all confused.

We can generate and produce the bitmap for any part of the page.  This
includes:

	1. The whole page if your printer needs it.
	2. A single bit.
	3. Two bits.
	4. a line of bits.
	5. A stripe of lines.
	6. A rectangle.
	7. A circular area.
	8. Any arbitrary shape.

Now, the RGBP driver provides a simple interface for N lines of
printed output.  Because it is simple to handle.  If your printer
needs hyperbolic and sinusoidal bits compressed it can be
implemented.  No big deal.

So I think you are confused.

> That said, as long as the bands are generated from top to bottom
> and there is some sort of interface to indicate the beginning and
> end of a page then any soft-weaved driver can work with a banded
> RIP (like GS 5.50)

This is what we support now in the driver.  Again the topic before was
`we cant do bands, we need the full page for X or Y reasons', and my
reply was `sure, we can do that, just make the stripe be the full
page'.

You dont like that, then dont use that ;-)