[1183] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Full-Text CD-ROMs and ARIEL
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Peter Graham, Rutgers U., (908) 93)
Thu Sep 10 09:13:56 1992
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 08:05:31 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
From: "Peter Graham, Rutgers U., (908) 932-2741" <GRAHAM%ZODIAC.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
From: Peter Graham, Rutgers Univ.
The posting read:
>It's indeed a logical extension of the use of Ariel and has been mentioned
before. Unfortunately, it's not possible since the only way Ariel can print
something is if it's been scanned first - it can't take a document that's
already in digital form and then print it. (Since there are different ways
to store documents and different methods of compression, the problem is
also far more complex than it would appear at first glance, even if Ariel
could read files not created through first scanning using Ariel.)
I respond: But are there not ways of taking text files (or graphics) and
pseudo-scanning them within a workstation? The fax-generating PC applications
come to mind, for example the Mac powerbook with fax modem included which
(as I know from experience) goes through the conversion of text to a fax
image before it goes online to send the bits.
Presumably this technology could be adapted to allow transmission into the
Ariel application. I'm sure there are other minor glitches, including
compression differences, but these are tactical rather than strategic I would
think. Comment?
--pg
