While pdfLaTeX has a number of nice features, its primary
shortcoming relative to standard LaTeX+dvips is that it is
unable to read ordinary Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files,
the most common graphics format in the LaTeX world. Purifyeps
converts EPS files into a 'purified' form that can be read by
both LaTeX+dvips and pdfLaTeX. The trick is that the standard
LaTeX2e graphics packages can parse MetaPost-produced EPS
directly. Hence, purifyeps need only convert an arbitrary EPS
file into the same stylized format that MetaPost outputs.
