title: Writing a basic PostScript script by hand
body: <p>I wanted to try and manually code a PostScript file. Why? Why not. From Wikipedia, I copied and pasted their basic <code>Hello World</code> program for <code>PostScript</code> which is:</p>
  
  <pre><code>%!PS
  /Courier             % name the desired font
  20 selectfont        % choose the size in points and establish 
                       % the font as the current one
  72 500 moveto        % position the current point at 
                       % coordinates 72, 500 (the origin is at the 
                       % lower-left corner of the page)
  (Hello world!) show  % stroke the text in parentheses
  showpage             % print all on the page
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When I try to open it in <code>GIMP</code>, I get </p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Opening 'Hello World.ps' failed. Could not interpret file 'Hello World.ps'</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I can use <code>ImageMagick</code> to convert the file</p>
  
  <pre><code>convert "Hello World.ps" "Hello World.pdf"
  convert "Hello World.ps" "Hello World.eps"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The PDF opens successfully and displays 'Hello World' in Courier.
  The EPS yields the same error as the PS.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Is there something wrong with the syntax of the PS file?</p></li>
  <li><p>Are PS files just not meant to be viewed directly, and should instead be viewed in a containing format like PDF?</p></li>
  <li><p>Is GIMP just not able to handle this particular format of PS file?</p></li>
  </ul>