Apple/Microsoft Technology Agreement
Mark B. Johnson
OUTLINE FONT TECHNOLOGY, PRINTER SOFTWARE
SAN FRANCISCO,CA--SEPTEMBER 19, 1989--Apple Computer, Inc.
and Microsoft Corporation today announced a cross-license
agreement for outline font technology and printer software
to be standard across the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft OS/2
Presentation Manager platforms. Microsoft will license
Apple's outline font technology for inclusion in future
versions of Microsoft OS/2 Presentation Manager. Apple will
license printer software from Microsoft for implementation
in future versions of the Apple LaserWriter printer. The
Microsoft printer software incorporates the Apple font format.
Apple's outline font technology was announced in May, 1989,
to significantly improve the quality and flexibility of font
support for the Macintosh. Now Microsoft will bring this same
open font format to OS/2 Presentation Manager, allowing the
easy exchange of rich text documents between these two
desktop platforms.
"Apple's innovative image font technology is emerging as
the foundation for desktop computing in the 1990s," said John
Sculley, Apple's chairman and CEO. "Users can now take
advantage of this high-quality, standard printing and font
solution on the Macintosh and across other key computing
environments."
"Apple has really led the way in enhancing the use of
font technology in desktop platforms," said Bill Gates,
Microsoft Corporation chairman and CEO. "Our establishment
of a common font format and common printer software will bring
power, flexibility and standardization for screen and printer
output to the Macintosh and OS/2 Presentation Manager."
"Scalable font technology is an essential part of the
rich graphic environment that will characterize computing in
the 1990s," said Jonathan Seybold, president of Seybold
Publications and Seminars. "The agreement is probably the
most important development in the computer industry this
year."
Outline Font Technology
The outline font format is an open standard that all
hardware, software and font vendors can support. Nearly a
dozen leading type vendors and as many software developers
have already announced support for this font standard (see
attached list). Today's agreement between Apple and Microsoft
means that these type vendors will easily be able to support
both the Macintosh and OS/2 Presentation Manager.
Apple's font technology includes the specifications for
a powerful instruction set that controls characters for printing
or screen display at low resolution, while preserving excellent
quality at high resolution.
Outline fonts are mathematical descriptions of text
characters that allow the computer to accurately display text
at any size on any screen or printer. Bit-map fonts, widely
implemented in current screen output devices, are device-
specific and consequently cannot be easily displayed on
different devices without severe limitation on memory and
flexibility.
Advantages for Applications Software
The outline font format will make it easier for applications
to have high-quality output from either the Apple Macintosh or
OS/2 Presentation Manager. Now, users will be able to purchase
a single font library for both systems and be assured of the
type quality previously available only on dedicated typesetting
and publishing systems.
"Many people use WordPerfect to do high-end word processing
and desktop publishing on both OS/2 and Macintosh platforms and
require high-quality scalable fonts both on screen and in print,"
said Derrick Shadel, vice president of development, WordPerfect
Corporation. "We welcome standards like this that provide
consistency across these platforms and are open to a variety of
vendors."
Microsoft Printer Software Enables WYSIWYG Documents
A standard outline font format for screen output is one half
of the equation for high-quality document production. The
second half is the availability of standard printer software
that incorporates the same font format as used for screen
output. This printer software meets both these criteria.
The printer software is based on source code from Bauer
Enterprises of San Jose, California, acquired by Microsoft in
July 1989. It is compatible with Adobe PostScript printer
language and has enhancements for compatibility with OS/2 Presentation
Manager and Macintosh.
The new printer software provides a high-level description
of a page to a printer. It accepts input from the host system
and translates it into a series of commands describing which
pixels of the page to mark with ink.
With its support for the outline font format , the new
printer software enables creation of sharp text of any size or
font type on any printer that uses this software. As a result,
what the user sees on the screen is what prints on the page.
Microsoft will sublicense the printer software to third-
party OEMs. The Bauer Enterprises printer software was
previously licensed to many leading printer vendors, so
Microsoft anticipates that the new software will quickly
gain acceptance in the printer market.
Availability
The outline font technology announced today will be
incorporated into future versions of OS/2 Presentation
Manager and Apple Macintosh. Pricing and availability
will be announced at a later date.
Apple Computer, Inc. develops, manufactures, and
markets personal computer systems for use in business,
education, science and engineering, government and the home.
A recognized pioneer and innovator in the personal computer
industry, Apple does business in more than 85 countries.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ "MSFT") develops, markets
and supports a wide range of software for business and
professional use, including operating systems, languages
and application programs, as well as books, hardware and
CD-ROM products for the microcomputer marketplace.
-30-
Microsoft, MS and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation.
Apple, Macintosh and LaserWriter are registered trademarks
of Apple Computer, Inc.
PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.
Note: See attached for font vendor listing.
ATTACHMENT
FONT VENDORS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR OUTLINE FONT FORMAT
The following leading type vendors have announced support
for the outline font standard adopted by both Apple Computer,
Inc. and Microsoft Corporation.
AGFA Compugraphic
Bigelow & Homes
Bitstream Inc.
Casady & Greene Inc.
International Typeface Corporation
Kingsley/ATF Type Corporation
Letraset USA
Linotype AG
Monotype Corporation
The Font Bureau, Inc.
URW of West Germany
-30-
--
Mark B. Johnson AppleLink: mjohnson
Developer Technical Support domain: mjoh...@Apple.com
Apple Computer, Inc. UUCP: {amdahl,decwrl,sun,unisoft}!apple!mjohnson
"You gave your life to become the person you are right now. Was it worth it?"
- Richard Bach, _One_
BMUG
>APPLE , MICROSOFT ANNOUNCE CROSS-LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR
>OUTLINE FONT TECHNOLOGY, PRINTER SOFTWARE
>
> A standard outline font format for screen output is one half
>of the equation for high-quality document production. The
>second half is the availability of standard printer software
>that incorporates the same font format as used for screen
>output. This printer software meets both these criteria.
> The printer software is based on source code from Bauer
>Enterprises of San Jose, California, acquired by Microsoft in
>July 1989. It is compatible with Adobe PostScript printer
>language and has enhancements for compatibility with OS/2 Presentation
>Manager and Macintosh.
> The new printer software provides a high-level description
>of a page to a printer. It accepts input from the host system
>and translates it into a series of commands describing which
>pixels of the page to mark with ink.
OK, so the obvious question is:
Given that PostScript (and a couple of other PDLs) represents an
integrated approach to typefaces, graphic elements, and text/element
manipulation, what does this agreement mean for Apple screen/printer
imaging?
Assuming that a unified imaging model is best, does this mean that
the QuickDraw-based imaging model which heretofore controlled typeface
and object display on screen (and in QD-supporting printers) will be
replaced by a Royal/BauerScript model? Or does it mean that Royal
and a future version of QuickDraw will be combined, and a translation
scheme such as that which occurs with Apple's LaserWriter drivers
be employed to convert Royal/QD to BauerScript?
and what exactly will happen at a low level in software when a
program is used to manipulate combinations of text and graphics
(as in either the PostScript (FreeHand/Illustrator) or QuickDraw
(Canvas/MacDraw/Dreams) mode)?
Inquiring minds want to know (like mine!! :-))
John Heckendorn
/\
BMUG ARPA: bm...@garnet.berkeley.EDU A__A
1442A Walnut St., #62 BITNET: bmug@ucbgarne |()|
Berkeley, CA 94709 Phone: (415) 549-2684 | |
Murat N. Konar
release about the Apple/Microsoft technology agreement
sent a shiver up my spine.
Apple is going to start charging extra for their
system software, aren't they?
Say it ain't so, Joe. PLEASE! :( :( :( :(
(P.S. Don't give me any baloney about "there are no
current plans blah, blah, blah. This just means there
are no CURRENT plans. I'd like to know if it's even being
seriously considered.)
____________________________________________________________________
Have a day. :^|
Murat N. Konar Honeywell Systems & Research Center, Camden, MN
mnk...@SRC.honeywell.com (internet) {umn-cs,ems,bthpyd}!srcsip!mnkonar(UUCP)
Frank Malczewski
>The phrase "pricing and availability" from the press
>release about the Apple/Microsoft technology agreement
>sent a shiver up my spine.
>
>Apple is going to start charging extra for their
>system software, aren't they?
>
>Say it ain't so, Joe. PLEASE! :( :( :( :(
>
When 7.0 was announced, I recall seeing a phrase with the word "nominal" in it;
it had to do with pricing. That sent a shiver or two up my spine at the time...
--
-- Frank Malczewski (malc...@girtab.usc.edu)
Jeff Meyer
Sure they're not talking about the usual System Software package that Apple
sells for ~$50, that has the system software *and* manuals? I've almost
always skipped this and just gotten copies of the system software; the
manuals aren't that handy.
MONDO VIDEO with Prof. Fred Hopkins:
"RED SCORPION (SGE). Hardcore action fans
have had a rough time since Eastwood started
direction 'serious' films and Schwarzenegger
went into froo-froo comedies. Enter
muscle-bound, inarticulate Dolph Lundgred --
you want shit-for-brains, you got 'em."
---
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET: mori...@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, hplsla, thebes, microsoft}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO: You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>
Bill Stackhouse
mentioned $200 for System 7.0. Hopefully that is to cover the cost of
printed material.
--
Bill Stackhouse
Cambridge, MA.
bi...@XAIT.Xerox.COM
Kent Borg
I also hope they don't do it. It isn't that it wouldn't be worth it,
or that I can't affort $200-or-whatever they might charge...it is that
I don't want to have to spend my time on Usenet reading gripes about
it...
Seriously, Apple has great hardware-key copy protection for their
system software: there are no clones. They would lose a lot if we
have to start worrying about piracy and whether machine X has payed
for release Y.
Keep the distribution as unencumbered as possible. Charge something
for shrink wrapped boxes, but don't limit distribution more than that.
--
Kent Borg "This and being born are the 2 damndest
ke...@lloyd.uucp things that ever happened to me."
or -Resident of McClellenville, SC,
...!husc6!lloyd!kent referring to Hurricane Hugo (from NPR)
Ed Tecot
>I also hope they don't do it. It isn't that it wouldn't be worth it,
>or that I can't affort $200-or-whatever they might charge...it is that
>I don't want to have to spend my time on Usenet reading gripes about
>it...
I've heard nothing to indicate that distribution of system software will be
any different from what it is today. I'd treat the above information as
unsubstantiated rumor.
_emt