Redwood City Ð A change in NeXT's Adobe PostScript license is causing headaches for developers who use NEXTSTEP's built-in Display PostScript interpreter to print on non-PostScript printers.
Under NeXT's original Adobe license, customers who purchased NeXT computers were automatically given licenses to use the PostScript interpreter to drive printers with a resolution of less than 900 dpi. Under NeXT's new Adobe license for Intel-based computers, users may not use their Display PostScript interpreter to print to a non-PostScript device unless they purchase a special "printing license."
With the new policy, developers will bundle the license with their drivers for non-PostScript printers. The cost of the license is based on the list price of the output device.
"NeXT isn't looking to make a lot of money selling these licenses," said Eric Chu, NEXTSTEP product manager. "We want to enable developers to easily bring more printers to NEXTSTEP."
One problem with bundling the license, said Wilfried Beeck, president of d'ART Computersysteme GmbH, which markets the printer-driver package Dots, is that it forces developers to sell two versions of their printer drivers Ð one for white hardware, one for black. The license may also eliminate the price advantage of using a non-PostScript printer, Beeck said.
"It's true this is not ideal," said Chu. "But purchasers of black hardware already paid for the ability to print up to 900 dpi, and they shouldn't pay twice."
Because of the licensing change, NEXTSTEP 3.2 will not come with bundled drivers for the IBM ProPrinter 24P and Epson 510 dot-matrix printers. Instead, NeXT will offer the drivers separately, along with a printing license, for $75, Chu said.