New technology for the Bulletin

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 47, 12 May 1987, Page 11

New technology for the Bulletin

The Bulletin has recently acquired some new equipment, an Apple Macintosh Plus publishing computer and an Apple LaserWriter printer. The equipment replaces the typsetting machine that has been in use at the Bulletin since 1983. The machine is among the most advanced in publishing technology and has a much wider scope of applications than the old typesetting machine. It is possible to write articles directly into the computer and then manipulate the text to suit the newspaper. That is, once a story is written the type size and style can be changed as well as the column widths. The article is then printed onto plain paper in much the same way that a photocopier works, with the information on the copy to be printed transferred to the LaserWriter printer electronically. It is also possible to make up complete advertisements on the computer, with the graphics shown actual size on the screen. Many of the ads in this edition of the Bulletin. have been made up on the new machine. These added capabilities puts the Bulletin in step with the most well equipped community newspapers in the country and allows for improved efficiency of production, as well as much more creative scope in the design of

advertisemenls and editorial layout. The Apple Macintosh Plus computer is one tenlh the size and weight of the old machine, allowing for easy transportation. a major problem with the typesetting machine that we have been using has been with maintenance. To get a serviceman to Ohakune from Auckland at short notice to fix a fault and get the paper out on time was very difficult and very expensive. With the new equipment it is possible to send a faulty component to the serviceman and receive a temporary replacement in a relatively short time. One major problem with it though, is how to remove the 'games programmme' and get on with some work!