Altsys Virtuoso for NeXTSTEP Now Available
Conrad Geiger - Manager, International NeXT User Groups
Contact: Meaghan Hogan, Altsys
Phone: (214) 680-2060
FAX: (214) 680-0537
Email: meagha...@altsys.com
Altsys Virtuoso for NeXTSTEP Now Available
- Drawing, Organization, Text, and Production Capabilities Now
Available in One Program
RICHARDSON, TEXAS - October 29, 1992 - Altsys Corporation announced
today the shipping of Altsys Virtuoso, the advanced design and
production program for NeXTSTEP. Redefining the traditional drawing
program, Virtuoso combines powerful drawing, text, and production
capabilities into one easy-to-master program. Virtuoso also raises
the standard of multiplatform compatibility with its ability to
readily exchange documents with Aldus FreeHand and Adobe
Illustrator on other platforms.
Altsys, the developer of award-winning graphics programs like
Fontographer and Aldus FreeHand on the Macintosh and Windows, first
announced development of Virtuoso for NeXTSTEP at Seybold in San Jose
in the fall of 1991. Since that time, Virtuoso has been praised for
its outstanding performance, drawing capabilities, and user
interface. Altsys then announced the inclusion of new text features
that rival those of professional page layout programs. Now that
Virtuoso is complete, it proves to be the definitive single-page
layout solution for NeXTSTEP users.
"Virtuoso is a no-compromise illustration application that will warm
the hearts of artists and graphic designers," said Steve Jobs, CEO of
NeXT Computer, Inc. "Virtuoso shows the power speed, and precision of
Display PostScript, and is setting the standard that other
illustration applications will have to match."
Virtuoso has advanced yet easy-to-use drawing and transformation
tools which include the multigon tool that simplifies the creation of
polygons and stars, and the freehand tool that can also be used as a
variable-weight or calligraphic pen tool. Users can also take
advantage of state-of-the-art features such as unlimited design
layers, graphic styles, drag and drop color, unparalleled PostScript
support, and extensive fill and line control.
Virtuoso's feature set includes a variety of outstanding text
capabilities not currently found in any other drawing program. With
Virtuoso, creative professionals now have access to extensive
text-formatting capabilities which include: text wrapping around
objects, multiple columns and rows, copyfitting, automatic
hyphenation, linked text blocks, rulers, and several types of tabs.
Virtuoso also enables artists to use text as a graphic, including the
ability to convert text to editable outlines, transform text like any
other element, and bind text to arbitrary paths. In addition,
Virtuoso provides professional typographical control over kerning,
leading, tracking, and baseline shift. These features allow designers
to use one program to combine the graphics and text for items such as
advertisements, brochures, infographics, and newsletters.
"We threw away traditional concepts for developing a graphics program
by creating a feature set and user interface that caters to the needs
of today's creative professional," said Jim Von Ehr, president of
Altsys Corporation. "With its drawing, text-handling, and pre-press
capabilities, Virtuoso gives users the tools they need to take their
designs from conception to production. When combined with the power
of NeXTSTEP, Virtuoso provides a compelling publishing environment."
To simplify the task of working in multi-platform, multi-program
environments, Virtuoso has the ability to import TIFFs (Tagged Image
File Format), as well as import and export EPS (Encapsulated
PostScript) files for use with other programs. In addition, Virtuoso
enables artists to import and export their documents for use with
Aldus FreeHand 3 for the Macintosh and PCs running Windows, as well
as Adobe Illustrator 88 and Adobe Illustrator 3 for the Macintosh,
PCs running Windows, and NeXTSTEP. Graphic artists can also exchange
documents between Virtuoso for NeXTSTEP and Virtuoso for Solaris.
Virtuoso also offers numerous editing capabilities. With features
such as edit in Preview (full color) mode, 100 levels of Undo and
Redo, and Zoom (up to 1600%), artists using Virtuoso have all the
tools they need for flexibility and precision when creating a design.
When their document is complete, users can produce everything from
color comps to full-color separations using Virtuoso's built-in
production capabilities. With NeXTSTEP's Display PostScript, users
can even preview their color separations on-screen.
Virtuoso has a suggested retail price of $695 and will be available
directly from Altsys Corporation, as well as through NeXT-authorized
resellers. Virtuoso requires NeXTSTEP version 2.1 or higher. Versions
of Virtuoso which take advantage of NeXTSTEP 3.0 and Virtuoso for
NeXTSTEP 486 will be available in the first quarter of 1993.
With true multitasking, high-speed Ethernet networking, and built-in
Display PostScript Level 2, NeXTSTEP provides an ideal platform for
publishing solutions. NeXTSTEP's intuitive graphical interface makes
the power of UNIXR accessible to publishing users. NeXTSTEP Release
3.0 includes the Pantone Color Matching System for accurate color
selection across applications. It provides built-in AppleTalk and
Novell networking, and can read and write Macintosh, DOS, and
UNIX-formatted disks, offering a high level of connectivity with
existing systems. Most significantly, NeXTSTEP is fully
object-oriented system software. This brings several benefits to
publishers, including a higher level of integration across
applications, and more customizable software. NeXTSTEP runs on NeXT
Computers and will be offered on 486-based computers in the first
quarter of 1993.
Founded in 1984, Altsys Corporation, headquartered in Richardson,
Texas, is a world leader in font editing and graphics software.
Altsys offers a sophisticated selection of font editing programs that
allow easy design of custom fonts and logos. Altsys' Macintosh
products include Fontographer, Metamorphosis Professional, and
Fontastic Plus, as well as the Altsys XTRAS line of graphics
enhancements which includes EPS Exchange. Altsys also develops
Fontographer for PCs running Windows 3.1. Virtuoso for Solaris will
be available in the first quarter of 1993. In addition, Altsys
continues to develop Aldus FreeHand.
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Virtuoso and Fontastic are trademarks; the Altsys logo, Fontographer,
EPS Exchange, Altsys XTRAS and Metamorphosis are registered
trademarks of Altsys Corporation. All rights reserved. NeXT and
NeXTSTEP are registered trademarks of NeXT Computer, Inc. All other
brands or trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective
owners.