postscript
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Postscript \Post"script\, n. [L. postscriptus, (assumed) p. p.
of postscribere to write after; post after + scribere to
write: cf. F. postscriptum. See {Post-}, and {Scribe}.]
A paragraph added to a letter after it is concluded and
signed by the writer; an addition made to a book or
composition after the main body of the work has been
finished, containing something omitted, or something new
occurring to the writer. [Abbrev. P. S.]
[1913 Webster]
from
Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)
PostScript
n.
A page description language, based on work originally done by John
Gaffney at Evans and Sutherland in 1976, evolving through `JaM' (`John
and Martin', Martin Newell) at {XEROX PARC}, and finally implemented
in its current form by John Warnock et al. after he and Chuck Geschke
founded Adobe Systems Incorporated in 1982. PostScript gets its
leverage by using a full programming language, rather than a series of
low-level escape sequences, to describe an image to be printed on a
laser printer or other output device (in this it parallels {EMACS},
which exploited a similar insight about editing tasks). It is also
noteworthy for implementing on-the fly rasterization, from Bezier
curve descriptions, of high-quality fonts at low (e.g. 300 dpi)
resolution (it was formerly believed that hand-tuned bitmap fonts were
required for this task). Hackers consider PostScript to be among the
most elegant hacks of all time, and the combination of technical
merits and widespread availability has made PostScript the language of
choice for graphical output.
from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
PostScript
<language, text, graphics> A {page description language} based
on work originally done by John Gaffney at Evans and
Sutherland in 1976, evolving through "JaM" ("John and Martin",
Martin Newell) at {XEROX PARC}, and finally implemented in its
current form by John Warnock et al. after he and Chuck Geschke
founded {Adobe Systems, Inc.} in 1982.
PostScript is an {interpreted}, {stack-based language} (like
{FORTH}). It was used as a page description language by the
{Apple LaserWriter}, and now many {laser printers} and
on-screen graphics systems. Its primary application is to
describe the appearance of text, graphical shapes, and sampled
{images} on printed or displayed pages.
A program in PostScript can communicate a document description
from a composition system to a printing system in a
device-independent way.
PostScript is an unusually powerful printer language because
it is a full programming language, rather than a series of
low-level escape sequences. (In this it parallels {Emacs},
which exploited a similar insight about editing tasks). It is
also noteworthy for implementing on-the fly {rasterisation},
from {Bezier curve} descriptions, of high-quality {fonts} at
low (e.g. 300 dpi) resolution (it was formerly believed that
hand-tuned {bitmap fonts} were required for this task).
PostScript's combination of technical merits and widespread
availability made it the language of choice for graphical
output until {PDF} appeared.
The {Postscript point}, 1/72 inch, is slightly different from
other {point} units.
An introduction
(http://cs.indiana.edu/docproject/programming/postscript/postscript.html).
["PostScript Language Reference Manual" ("The Red Book"),
Adobe Systems, A-W 1985].
[{Jargon File}]
(2002-03-11)
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
53 Moby Thesaurus words for "postscript":
PS, Parthian shot, addendum, affix, afterthought, allonge,
appendix, back matter, chorus, coda, codicil, colophon, commentary,
conclusion, consequence, continuance, continuation, double take,
dying words, enclitic, envoi, epilogue, follow-through, follow-up,
infix, interlineation, interpolation, last words, marginalia, note,
parting shot, peroration, postface, postfix, postlude, prefix,
proclitic, refrain, rider, scholia, second thought, sequel,
sequela, sequelae, sequelant, sequent, sequitur, subscript, suffix,
supplement, swan song, tag, tail
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