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Software 2000 enables enhanced PostScript 3 & Level 2 support

OXFORD — June, 2000 — Software 2000 today announced that it has extended the capabilities of its Component Device Architecture (CDA)-based OEM toolkits. CDA previously supported PostScript 3 and Level 2 based devices, but CDA 2000 now enhances performance by utilizing the range of optional PostScript features supported by PostScript 3 firmware.

With PCL XL 2.0-based firmware Hewlett-Packard enable significant performance enhancements as compared with version 1.1. Changes are particularly significant in the areas of Far-East font support, and the addition of value-added features such as support for compressed bitmaps.

Adobe's Postscript 3 is a highly extensible specification that allows optional features such as different compression methods and additional direct file support such as .PDF (used by Adobe Acrobat). Whereas Adobe and Microsoft (Pscript) make little or no use of these features in their drivers, Software 2000's CDA 2000 technology offers enhanced performance through exploiting the new firmware functionality.

CDA OEM customers using PostScript 3 features benefit from a combination of better performance and smaller print-file sizes when compared with other solutions, or with PostScript Level 2-based devices. This also allows decreased network traffic and server queue requirements for optimum network performance. For example, pictorial print samples demonstrated at CeBIT 2000 in Hannover, Germany, showed output file size improvements of up to 95%, printed in 65% of the time and with no loss of quality in the output. Typical mixed text and graphics documents show file size improvements of greater than 20%.

OEMs implementing extended features such as direct .PDF printing can use CDA 2000's new "Print Direct" driver extension. This provides end-users with Macintosh-alike "drag-and-drop" desktop printing under Windows 2000, NT 4.0 and Windows 9.X. The files can be printed without invoking a special .PDF-based application such as Adobe Acrobat.

Software 2000's PostScript 3 and Level 2 DDKs support both color and monochrome devices. The CDA drivers are an ideal "de facto industry standard" complement to the PCL XL or PCL 5e/5c drivers supplied with OEMs devices, and can share the same User Interface. CDA does not restrict the OEMs user interface options like Adobe- or Pscript/Unidrv-based technology.

CDA 2000 PostScript Driver Development Toolkits have a range of OEM "pick-and-choose" based facilities, allowing OEMs to optimize performance for their device. Full support for Postscript Level 2 is thereby maintained but OEMs can "cherry pick" features to add value to their printers.

As well as the optimized enabling of PostScript 3-based devices, OEMs have full access to other features of CDA 2000 including:

Native Windows 2000 support in addition to Windows NT 4.0

Single driver source automatically creates both Windows 2000 (user mode) and Windows NT 4.0 (kernel mode) drivers

End-to-end streaming compression

The print datastream can be easily matched to firmware supported compression, allowing the smallest possible print file sizes and optimum network performance

Enhanced Branding of OEMs devices

In addition to the OEM branding flexibility of CDAs user interface, it's now easy for OEMs to implement highly-branded and versatile Status monitors and Direct printing components with their drivers. These can aid sales of branded consumables, and offer value-added end-user features while branding the OEM's device.

OEM options for installation

Setup 2000 provides OEMs with the full choice of installation and de-installation options, while fully supporting Microsoft's installation methods.

About Software 2000

Software 2000 specializes in the development of driver technology for Macintosh, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and supplies to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) throughout the world.

In just ten years, Software 2000 has grown into a multi-million dollar company with offices in Monterey California, Tokyo Japan and Oxford England. The company is recognized as the largest independent developer of printer drivers in the world. Software 2000 provides DDKs and custom driver development services to OEM manufacturers including Alps, Canon, Epson, Fuji Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lexmark, OCE, QMS, Ricoh, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, Xerox, and many others.

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