In what appears to be unseemly haste, Rank Xerox has hurried to market with Version 1.1 of its desktop publishing program for the XT, Xerox Ventura Publisher, just six months after the original UK release of the product. As a result of ‘user suggestions and market trends’ new features include English hyphenation and justification, with control of maximum word and letter spacing as well as international character set, automatic kerning and fixed spaces. It now supports Xywrite, Samna and DCA word processors and it is able to incorporate Macintosh and Freelance graphics images. There are also better printing facilities including more fonts, downloadable fonts, the incorporation of Postscript files, and support for the Interpress page description language. Output to printers is now faster – by up to 40% in some cases, and larger page sizes up to 18 by 24 can be printed in sections. Xerox Ventura also allows larger maximum file sizes, numbers of chapters, paragraphs and tags. Initial installation is also easier with a facility for partial reconfiguration of the system. The product is shipping now for UKP795 but anyone buying a current version from an Authorised Rank Xerox Dealer is entitled to a free upgrade. Existing users who bought from authorised dealers can buy the upgrade for UKP99 on proof of ownership of Version 1.0 – the offer runs to the end of August 1987. Rank Xerox’s own desktop publishing system – Xerox Documenter – launched in September 1986, is based on the Xerox 6085 multi-function workstation, 4045 desktop laser printer and Viewpoint integrated windowing mouse-driven software which provides PC-DOS emulation so, for example, Lotus 1-2-3 can be run in a window and its data incorporated into a document. Xerox Documenter costs between UKP7,500 and UKP12,000.
