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Ghostscript
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  Caption Ghostscript Logo
  Author L Peter Deutsch
  Developer Artifex Software
  Released August 11 , 1988 1
  Latest Release Version 860
  Latest Release Date 2 August 2007
  Operating System Cross-platform
  Genre PostScript and PDF interpreter
  License GNU General Public License , Aladdin Free Public License
  Website http://ghostscriptcom/


Ghostscript is a suite of Software based on an interpreter for Adobe Systems ' PostScript and Portable Document Format (PDF) Page Description Language s.


FEATURES


Ghostscript can be used as a Raster Image Processor (RIP) for raster Computer Printer s - for instance, as an input filter of Line Printer Daemon - or as the RIP engine behind PostScript and PDF viewers.

Ghostscript can also be used as a file format converter, such as PostScript to PDF converter; this is often combined with a PostScript printer driver in "virtual printer" PDF creators.

As it takes the form of a language interpreter, Ghostscript can also be used as a general purpose programming environment.

Ghostscript has been Ported to many operating systems, including most Unix and Unix-like systems (including Linux ), Mac OS , OpenVMS , Microsoft Windows and OS/2 .


FRONTENDS


Several Graphical User Interface s have been written for use with Ghostscript which permit a user to view a PostScript or PDF file on screen, scroll, page forward and backward, and zoom the text as well as print single or multiple pages.

  • Ghostview runs under Unix/X11. Ghostview has an unusual (and arguably counter-intuitive) s all over the image and is approximately the opposite of panning in Google Maps and other applications.

  • gv runs under Unix/X11. gv is a visually improved version of Ghostview. Its behaviour is similar to Ghostview.

  • mgv runs under Unix/X11. It is a Motif (widget Toolkit) based front-end to Ghostscript. It features a more conventional user interface, with regular menus, a toolbar, and scrollbars.

  • GSView runs under Microsoft Windows , OS/2 , and UNIX-like operating systems. It is best known for its Windows and OS/2 versions. On UNIX it uses the GTK+ toolkit.



HISTORY


Ghostscript was originally written by L. Peter Deutsch for the GNU Project , and released under the GNU General Public License ; later, Deutsch formed Aladdin Enterprises to license Ghostscript under a Proprietary Licence . It is currently owned by artofcode LLC, led by Raph Levien , and maintained by the user community and Artifex Software, the exclusive licensing agent for Ghostscript technology.


VARIANTS OF GHOSTSCRIPT


  • GPL Ghostscript is the canonical variant available under the GNU General Public License , which is a Free Software License . Before June 2006, the leading edge of Ghostscript development was distributed as '''AFPL Ghostscript''' (formerly named '''Aladdin Ghostscript''') under the Aladdin Free Public License , which restricts commercial use. AFPL Ghostscript is now abandoned.http://www.advogato.org/person/raph/diary.html?start=411

  • GNU Ghostscript is part of the GNU Project and is now derived from GPL Ghostscript.

  • ESP Ghostscript is distributed by Easy Software Products under the GPL. It is based on GPL Ghostscript and contains several modifications to improve compatibility with ESP's Common Unix Printing System . This version is no longer developed, having been merged with GPL Ghostscript.http://www.cups.org/articles.php?L484

  • Ghostscript is the current commercial proprietary version licensed by Artifex Software for inclusion in Closed-source products.


The GPL version is also used as the basis for a Display Ghostscript, which adds the functionality needed to fully support Display PostScript .


SEE ALSO




REFERENCES



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