--- In PageStreamWindowsBeta@yahoogroups.com, "jon Peterson"
<jonbp@...> wrote:
>
>> And a Merry Christmas or Happy Chanukah to you too! If you have
been reading
> the list recently, you perhaps noted one of the continuing
circumstances
> that have plagued the development of PageStream. It is indeed an
unfinished
> product but wonderfully useable in most instances - and certainly
preferable
> to some of the other offerings in the DTP field. Under this
situation, and
> as this is supposed to be the season for understanding, tolerance
and
> forebearance (to name a few), let's try to keep the "%&*^*^" to a
minimum. I
> would definitely not want to be in Deron and Marna's shoes at this
time for
> any price and am trying to figure out how best to assist them - and
I would
> like to encourage others to follow up on. If Deron can continue
development
> of PageStream, it is a blessing to all who use it. Now time to get
off the
> soapbox. To all: Have a happy New Year of health, peace and
prosperity.

Mr. Peterson

I am fully aware of the vertues of PageStream over such products as
Microsoft Publisher, et.al. I have been using PS since version 1.0
was first offered for the Amiga. I have always felt PS to be unique
in the entire realm of software in that, to my knowledge, no other
software package that is available for multiple systems can exchange
files between those systems and be completely readable. This aspect
alone is an impressive piece of programing "magic".

That being said, as a consumer I believe I have the right to expect
the goods and services that I pay for to function properly. If I had
a vacume cleaner that would only work on bare floors and not on
carpet, I would take it back for a replacement or a refund.
That "guarentee" of functionality seems to get misplaced in the
software world. Software that is purchased and installed but doesn't
perform "as advertised" is very difficult or impossible to "return"
for a functional copy or a refund.

As I have previously noted, the printing function in version 4.1.5.8,
which I have been very happily and successfully using for at least 2
years, has no trouble printing any document that I design. When I
purchase an "updated" or "new" version I think that I have a right to
expect it to surpass the previous version. In setting up the printer
in version 5.xx.xx Pro, it is obvious that the programing has been
changed. My question is: to what end? The old addage "if it ain't
broke, don't fix it!" comes to mind. Why change the programing code
so radically that it doesn't work any more? A better question
is "Why release a version for sale if it is not fully functional?"

Now, I grant you that the "unprintable explative" that I expressed
may have been excessive in your, and others, opinions. If I have
offended anyone that has been reading this thread I sincerly
appologize! I can only state that the printed word lacks the refined
ablilty to communicate feeling that the verbal word has. Inflection
and intonation of voice can much more effectively communicate emotion
and/or intent of the idea that is being expressed than can the
printed word. I simply tried to express my frustration with PS 5 Pro
without actually printing words that are considered to be rude,
crude, and socially unacceptable.

So, Mr. Peterson, I think that it is time that we end this thread. I
will remove the PS version 5 from my computer and will continue to
use version 4. I will await the announcement of the fully functional
version 5 that I have paid for.

Thank you,
Terry A. Ricks

> ...As I have previously noted, the printing function in version 4.1.5.8,
> which I have been very happily and successfully using for at least 2
> years, has no trouble printing any document that I design. When I
> purchase an "updated" or "new" version I think that I have a right to
> expect it to surpass the previous version. In setting up the printer
> in version 5.xx.xx Pro, it is obvious that the programing has been
> changed. My question is: to what end? The old addage "if it ain't
> broke, don't fix it!" comes to mind.

To the best of my recollection /every/ version of PageStream for Windows
has had printing problems, including 4.1.5.8. It's just that some
combinations of computers and printers respond differently than others.
Some people have zero problems, others may not be able to print at all.
Deron is not a big player with a multitude of printers and computers to
test his work on or the power to press another company to conform their
products to so-called Windows standards. If Deron or Dan can't reproduce
the problem with the equipment at their disposal, fixes are largely
educated guesswork.

As I remember the effort to overhaul the print engine in recent versions
of PageStream was because previous drivers were riddled with workarounds
that all but guaranteed that no PageStream print engine would ever work
properly for everyone. The print engine in PageStream 5 is an
improvement compared to versions between 4.1.5.8 and the present build.
I'm sure it will continue to improve, but slowly. Unlike a larger
company, Deron can't delegate things like this to other engineers. He's
under pressure on a lot of fronts for improvements, fixes, and to
fulfill commitments for new platform-specific versions. He has to clear
some of these. Sometimes we get lucky. A fix for one version becomes a
benefit on all platforms. If, as seems to be the case here, the issue
has less to do with the print engine than with the size of the files
being sent to the engine, there could be a fix sooner rather than later.

HB

>
> As I remember the effort to overhaul the print engine in recent
versions
> of PageStream was because previous drivers were riddled with
workarounds
> that all but guaranteed that no PageStream print engine would ever
work
> properly for everyone. The print engine in PageStream 5 is an
> improvement compared to versions between 4.1.5.8 and the present
build.
> I'm sure it will continue to improve, but slowly. Unlike a larger
> company, Deron can't delegate things like this to other engineers.
He's
> under pressure on a lot of fronts for improvements, fixes, and to
> fulfill commitments for new platform-specific versions. He has to
clear
> some of these. Sometimes we get lucky. A fix for one version
becomes a
> benefit on all platforms. If, as seems to be the case here, the
issue
> has less to do with the print engine than with the size of the
files
> being sent to the engine, there could be a fix sooner rather than
later.
>
> HB

Hello, Henry,

Thank you for this bit of insight, however, I have to say that what
is apparently an improvement in printing for some is not an
improvement for me. I have an AMD Atholon 1250 cpu and 1.5GB of RAM,
so I don't think that memory or cpu speed is the problem here, at
least not for me. On this computer, attached to an Epson Color
Stylus 880, my PS4 Pro works extremely well. There has been no
printing problems at all. Both with the original printer drivers,
and the upgraded printer driver on PS5Pro, when I print the file in
color, the last 1.5 inches of the page disappears to becomes two
widely spaced, thin, red, parallel lines.

I assume that once Deron gets settled in his new home and back to
work that he will address these, and all other issues. I will be
glad to send him my file, but it is very large and I only have "dial-
up" so it would be more efficient if I burn a cd and mail it to him.
Maybe working with what I have will help find the "gremlins".

TAR
>

terry_a_ricks wrote:

snip...
>
> Hello, Henry,
>
> Thank you for this bit of insight, however, I have to say that what
> is apparently an improvement in printing for some is not an
> improvement for me. I have an AMD Atholon 1250 cpu and 1.5GB of RAM,
> so I don't think that memory or cpu speed is the problem here, at
> least not for me. On this computer, attached to an Epson Color
> Stylus 880, my PS4 Pro works extremely well. There has been no
> printing problems at all. Both with the original printer drivers,
> and the upgraded printer driver on PS5Pro, when I print the file in
> color, the last 1.5 inches of the page disappears to becomes two
> widely spaced, thin, red, parallel lines.
>
> I assume that once Deron gets settled in his new home and back to
> work that he will address these, and all other issues. I will be
> glad to send him my file, but it is very large and I only have "dial-
> up" so it would be more efficient if I burn a cd and mail it to him.
> Maybe working with what I have will help find the "gremlins".
>
> TAR
>
Terry,

there are still problems with the memory, and that has nothing to do
with how many memory you have.
OK, less memory is a problem, but if you have much memory PGS can't
handle this all the time.

I don't think you followed my thread. But at some point, if you have a
lots of documents loaded in PGS, PGS crashes.
And that is always at the same, memory, size (repeatable).

So why doesn't printing suffer with this problem?
Since PGS 5, the printing takes a huge amount of memory, because PGS can
print things normal Windows printing can't do (according to Deron).

Now why hasn't this being fixed? I told Deron, and Dan, about the memory
problem when those problems at their homes took place, and Deron was and
is still busy trying to get OS X version out (I think).

So, Terry, a bit more patient.
You can say there is a problem, but you have to give clues to the
developer(s) when this happens.
If a problem doesn't happen there, where do they have to look?

Theo

PS,

I found the comic curse... a bit comic.
But if you are not meaning this curse a lot, please put a smiley in your
text. It doesn't come out that harsh, and nobody is that fast offended.

However, if you are that pissed off, then wait a day before sending such
an e-mail, and read it first! Maybe you delete the offending things...