XPS for Developers
XPS for Application DevelopersApplication developers can build applications with an improved user experience in Windows Vista using new document and print technologies. The XML Paper Specification (XPS), Open Packaging Conventions, and the Windows Presentation Foundation are complementary technologies that share common document technologies and provide a more consistent document presentation than previously possible. XPS Document format is a component of the Windows Presentation Foundation, which is a next-generation presentation subsystem that unifies a whole range of output services, including User Interface, Media, and Documents. The Windows Presentation Foundation provides a single, managed-code framework for these services and makes it possible to build applications with richer user experiences than were previously possible. XPS provides the ideal way to store and display content from Windows Presentation Foundation applications. Documents in XPS Document format distill Windows Presentation Foundation elements into a fixed, printable, and portable format allowing applications to share documents for collaboration across multiple machines without requiring the original application to be installed on those machines. You can also use XPS Documents in unmanaged Win32 applications and applications built for non-Windows platforms. Applications can also use the Open Packaging Conventions to store documents and other application data. The Open Packaging Conventions describe an open, ZIP-based format that can include core file properties, custom metadata, and digital signatures and support rights management. Documents created in the next version of the Microsoft Office system, codenamed "Office 12," use the Open Packaging Conventions, making them manageable in the same way as other documents that use the Open Packaging Conventions, including XPS Documents. XPS for Hardware DevelopersWindows Vista printing brings the next generation of document services to the Windows platform, providing high-fidelity and high-performance printing for Windows users and an extensible platform for partner innovation. Printer manufacturers can use the extensible print architecture in Windows Vista to deliver the following features in their printers and device drivers that support XPS Documents. Improved Color Printing High-Fidelity Print Output Improved End-User Experience Improved Spooling and Rendering
Scanner device manufacturers can generate XPS Documents at scan time and can apply digital signatures and assign rights during document acquisition. | 
