[time-nuts] HP E1938 Web Page

[Neon John]

On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 23:45:11 EDT, SAIDJACK at aol.com wrote:

>
>respectfully disagree: that would mean we should get out our  good-old 
>pen-plotters and vector-graphics displays as well? 

My E-size HP pen plotter is still working just fine, thank you.

>But even those  rasterize in 
>their DAC and Stepper-Motor resolutions...

The key there is that the rasterization is done IN THE DEVICE where the conversion is
done optimally for that device.
> 
>High-resolution raster-files can guarantee that all traces in a schematic  
>line up, the text has the correct size and type etc, and no one in Asia is  
>modifying the files.
> 
>File-size is not an issue, our 5-page schematics in 600 dpi turn into a  
>beautiful and tiny 105 KByte PDF file that prints perfectly  even on D-Size paper. 
>105KB is probably less space than an  embedded font would take. 
> 
>Especially for schematics run-length coding works wonders on raster  files.

I don't see very well so when I work on an electronic project I like to plot the
schematics out D or E size and plaster the walls of my shop with 'em.  When someone
gratuitously converts a vector format to a raster format, that option is taken away
from me.  The best that I can hope to do is take the largest printout from my printer
to a copy shop and have it blown up into a crude enlargement, jaggies and all.  That
costs time and money.

It's even dumber to convert mechanical drawings such as Brooke's example.  Someone
may want to make a replacement panel for the instrument someday.  Sure is nice to
spit that HPGL or dXF or PDF file at a CNC machine.  Can't do that with rasters.

If you want raster images then by all means convert to them for your own use but
please, leave 'em alone for the rest of us.

John
--
John De Armond
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