I can support your enthusiasm for GhostScript.

I have been using it for about 10 years as an EPS file editor. For those not familiar - an EPS is an "encapsulated PostScript" file, and is one of the better formats for graphic inserts in production page layout.

The convenient thing is that anything that you can print, can be printed "to file" using the driver for any PostScript printer. Since you're printing to file, you don't even need to have a PS printer - just the driver. Change the default .prn filename extension to .eps and you usually have a serviceable EPS file.

The inconvenient thing is that when you paste it into most layout programs, all you get is a placeholder. You cain't see the picture, so you use GhostView to look at it - and edit it if necessary, before pasting it in. Simple cropping and scaling are a breeze once you learn how to edit the file with your word processor.

(The second clinker in this is that you can't print a document that contains simple eps files except on a PostScript printer - but that's another issue.)

I have used the "freeware" version for quite a while, but recently got an update on CD ($50 US and well worth it) from some guy in Australia. I don't know if he still has it available, but could look up my records if anyone is interested.

John