# The whole Mac/PC thing going on...Why do people care? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 28, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712 "2000-02-28T22:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![sixseatport](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sixseatport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sixseatport)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/101 "2000-03-08T22:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by JoeyBlades: > On the Macintosh, when I go to print a document, the print driver gives me the option to print with a reduction or enlargement. Windows gives me no such option. This is sometimes essential when the document needs to fit on one page or to a fixed width. Is there some non obvious way to do this in Windows? This is actually something dependant on the software you’re using (like MS Word or whatever), not the OS. It’s usually called something like “widow protection.” Other than that, I’ve seen some printer drivers which do allow resizing and other such functions to be carried out directly from the print command, but again, this is handled by the driver (and the printer manufacturer), not the OS. ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/102 "2000-03-08T22:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > This is actually something dependant on the software you’re using (like MS Word or whatever), not the OS. It’s usually called something like “widow protection.” Other than that, I’ve seen some printer drivers which do allow resizing and other such functions to be carried out directly from the print command, but again, this is handled by the driver (and the printer manufacturer), not the OS. For oddball printers, I’m sure you’re right, but for your average-run-of-the-mill Postscript printer it’s built right in to the default print driver on the Macintosh and mostly independent from the application, except that if required, an application can remove this option from the print dialog. I’ve never seen it removed, but I have seen it supplemented. ---
**Author:** ![sixseatport](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sixseatport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sixseatport)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/103 "2000-03-08T23:33:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by JoeyBlades: > For oddball printers, I’m sure you’re right, but for your average-run-of-the-mill Postscript printer it’s built right in to the default print driver on the Macintosh and mostly independent from the application, except that if required, an application can remove this option from the print dialog. I’ve never seen it removed, but I have seen it supplemented. The difference is, of course, that Apple usually makes the printer drivers for Macs, and makes them work since they have access to the inner workings of the OS. On the PC side, the vendors are responsible, and they DON’T have access to the inner workings of the OS, so option support such as you’re looking for tends to be spotty. HP is usually pretty good about it, though. I would love to see MS forced to go open-source with the Windows code (as a result of the DOJ trial). Won’t happen though…_sigh_. ---
**Author:** ![PeeQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@PeeQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeeQueue)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/104 "2000-03-09T20:14:00Z")
All true. Which is why most of the Microsoft apps will have it, but not all of the non-MS apps will. Look for a Fit To Page checkbox or something like that. PeeQueue ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/105 "2000-03-10T21:29:00Z")
JoeyBlades, You say you have a PostScript printer? Try downloading and installing Adobe’s driver. They wrote PS, so their driver works with all PS printers. And it has some options the Microsoft driver lacks. Can’t guarantee that it’ll do what you want, but it is a better driver. * * * “If you prick me, do I not…leak?” --Lt. Commander Data ---
**Author:** ![Cooper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@Cooper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cooper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/106 "2000-03-10T22:54:00Z")
There is no Windows API to fit a document to a page on the printer, documented or undocumented. If printer driver writers haven’t included this feature, the reasons have nothing to do with windows being protected source (just like Mac OS, Solaris, Digital, AIX, VMS, and just about every other commercial OS). Its probably because they are lazy sods and haven’t chosen to code the function. Exposing it would not be a secret, you can expose pretty much any function you want in your printer driver code and have it show up on the print properties screen. You can even rewrite the print properties screen if you’d rather use your own. ---
**Author:** ![ORION\_ORION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@ORION\_ORION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ORION_ORION)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/107 "2000-03-13T17:45:00Z")
Windows is king ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2000, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/108 "2000-03-14T06:18:00Z")
Indeed. Fortunately, Desktop computing now belongs to a post-monarchal era, so it doesn’t necessarily rule. * * * Disable Similes in this Post ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2000, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712/109 "2000-03-14T02:59:00Z")
Windows is “king” of what, anyway? This thread has taken many interesting turns, indeed! Right now I’m on my PC, after spending several weeks almost exclusively on the Mac. Kind of weird, making the transition. My feelings right now are that Windows is OK, but it is true - the keyboard shortcuts are annoying, and not as easy to remember as with the Mac. I think I am a Mac person deep down inside, but I don’t hate Windows. I am glad I have my PC - so much software that is compatable with it, and so cheap to upgrade! But, it looks like the Mac has my heart, and I am saving up for a G3 or G4 machine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-mac-pc-thing-going-on-why-do-people-care/17712.md?page=5)