Acrobat vs: GhostScript - An observation

  • Thread starter Thread starter Praetorian
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Praetorian

Acrobat has become just too huge and unwieldy for my purposes. It took
up huge mountains of disk space, and took its own sweet time to come alive
when needed online after clicking on a .PDF file.

I switched to GhostScript and its GUI GhostView. Both .. are less than 1/4
the size of Acrobat, and my .PDF openings are lightning fast. Why, oh why
was I so long in learning about GhostScript?

Just what GOOD is Acrobat anyway?
 
I switched to GhostScript and its GUI GhostView. Both .. are less
than 1/4 the size of Acrobat, and my .PDF openings are lightning fast.
Why, oh why was I so long in learning about GhostScript?
Click to expand...

Does GhostScript printing PDFs with the same quality as Acrobat?
 
Does GhostScript printing PDFs with the same quality as Acrobat?
Click to expand...

Seems to, here. I can't do a side-beside, but when I look at a
GS-printed PDF, I don't go "ewwwww".
 
Iain Cheyne said:
Does GhostScript printing PDFs with the same quality as Acrobat?
Click to expand...

Yes, you shouldn't notice the difference. The main differences you
are going to see is in the on-screen display. Also, GS hasn't got a
browser-integrated mode as does Adobe Reader, but you decide for
yourself if you need it :-)

Regards,
Wald
 
Praetorian said:
Acrobat has become just too huge and unwieldy for my purposes. It took
up huge mountains of disk space, and took its own sweet time to come alive
when needed online after clicking on a .PDF file.

I switched to GhostScript and its GUI GhostView. Both .. are less than 1/4
the size of Acrobat, and my .PDF openings are lightning fast. Why, oh why
was I so long in learning about GhostScript?

Just what GOOD is Acrobat anyway?
Click to expand...

It integrates into your browser. If you have problems loading Acrobat
Reader, it's a good idea to use an older version that starts faster.
For instance, I'm currently using version 5.0 and have no plans to
upgrade because I've heard that newer versions are not only slower,
but have other undesireable qualities.
 
Iain Cheyne said:
Does GhostScript printing PDFs with the same quality as Acrobat?
Click to expand...
===================================================

It does as far as I am able to see with my eyes, the only difference being
that the GUI for GhostView is a bit different. As some other respondents
have mentioned that Acrobat opens automatically in one's browser, I can
only say (having totally removed Acrobat in favor of GhostView/Script),
that .PDF files from online pop up just fine in GhostView. I even went to
Adobe's website and pulled down their voluminous help .pdf (5 meg), and
it opened right up.... much, much faster than Acrobat itself would have
done.
 
I'm currently using version 5.0 and have no plans to
upgrade because I've heard that newer versions are not only slower,
but have other undesireable qualities.
Click to expand...

I use version 4 and have no problems with it. Seems light and fast.
 
Yes, you shouldn't notice the difference. The main differences you
are going to see is in the on-screen display. Also, GS hasn't got a
browser-integrated mode as does Adobe Reader, but you decide for
yourself if you need it :-)
Click to expand...

Speed and printing quality are the only factors for me. Acrobat's browser
integration is irritating.
 
Acrobat has become just too huge and unwieldy for my
purposes. It took up huge mountains of disk space, and took
its own sweet time to come alive when needed online after
clicking on a .PDF file.

I switched to GhostScript and its GUI GhostView. Both ..
are less than 1/4 the size of Acrobat, and my .PDF openings
are lightning fast. Why, oh why was I so long in learning
about GhostScript?

Just what GOOD is Acrobat anyway?
Click to expand...

You DO realize that GhostView is NOT available for Win32. You
need to use GSView, which is nagware. It keeps asking to get
registered, which you can do for $25.00 US at
http://www.ghostgum.com.au/
 
Tiger wrote:
T> Weird. I have ghostview on my Windows 98se machine and
T> it works like a charm...and it's quite free.

T> http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ee5cta/ghostView/

The latest versions are indeed nagware. But they offer no
valuable (to me) enhancements over previous free versions.

We perhaps need to keep track of the latest free version
download. If you do have a free version - which is it?
 
Tiger wrote:
T> Weird. I have ghostview on my Windows 98se machine and
T> it works like a charm...and it's quite free.

T> http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ee5cta/ghostView/

The latest versions are indeed nagware. But they offer no
valuable (to me) enhancements over previous free versions.

We perhaps need to keep track of the latest free version
download. If you do have a free version - which is it?
Click to expand...
The version at the site above is what I have and I have yet to see any
nags.
 
["Iain Cheyne"; Tue, 28 Oct 2003 00:25:54 GMT]
Speed and printing quality are the only factors for me. Acrobat's
browser integration is irritating.
Click to expand...

I used Ghostscript on my old laptop, but can't get it to work on my new
one, so I'm using Acrobat ...
 
That's version 2.1 Version 4.3 is nagware.
Click to expand...
Okay. I believe the request was for the latest freeware version? Is
there a later freeware version? If so, are there any significant
enhancements?
 
If I want to try GhostScript, will it conflict with my Adobe at all.

"Blinky the Shark" a exprimé avec précision :
 
J44xm said:
["Iain Cheyne"; Tue, 28 Oct 2003 00:25:54 GMT]
Speed and printing quality are the only factors for me.
Acrobat's browser integration is irritating.
Click to expand...

I used Ghostscript on my old laptop, but can't get it to work on
my new one, so I'm using Acrobat ...
Click to expand...

What's the problem with getting it to work? Any error messages?

Just asking because I've never had any problems installing it on
various systems (95/98/2000/XP)...

Wald
 
jrandom42 said:
You DO realize that GhostView is NOT available for Win32. You
need to use GSView, which is nagware. It keeps asking to get
registered, which you can do for $25.00 US at
http://www.ghostgum.com.au/
Click to expand...

========================

Dunno where you are pulling down your stuff, but the GhostView and
GhostScript versions I have are BOTH freeware, and I have yet to see
any sort of 'nag' for registration. And, by the way, for some others who
thought otherwise .. GhostView does indeed respond online with my
MSIE browser when it comes to a .PDF file.
 
========================

Dunno where you are pulling down your stuff, but the
GhostView and GhostScript versions I have are BOTH freeware,
and I have yet to see any sort of 'nag' for registration.
And, by the way, for some others who thought otherwise ..
GhostView does indeed respond online with my MSIE browser
when it comes to a .PDF file.
Click to expand...

I'm getting it from here:
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/index.html
Version 4.5 of GSview is the latest and it is nagware.
 
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