Re: [Gimp-print-devel] What direction should we be headed?

[Michael S. <mi...@ea...>]

Hrafnkell Eiriksson wrote:
> ...
> Is it possible to use the same dithering algorithm for e.g. all
> inkjet printers or do they have to be tweaked so much for each
> specific printer that it is impossible to share the dithering code?
> ...

It depends.

Dithering algorithms need to be optimized for the device they are
used for.  Typically you are looking at either a "clustered dot"
or a "dispersed dot" dithering algorithm depending on the printer.

Raph Levien recently announced that he will provide GPL software
royalty-free use of some of his patents, including some nifty
looking algorithms for dithering that may allow for a good, general
purpose dithering algorithm that will work on all devices; more
info at:

    http://www.levien.com/patents.html

However, dithering is only one part of a larger problem involving
color separation, management, etc.

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products                  mi...@ea...
Printing Software for UNIX                       http://www.easysw.com