ripping is the process where data in one form is converted to a different
form.

ripping a cd track to mpg, for instance.

a laser printer includes a rip to change the data sent to it to locations
for applying specs of toner.

in prepress-speak, the rip takes in postscript language files, interprets
them, and rewrites them in whatever format the output device wants to see.
commonly this is a 1-bit bitmap format that represents the pattern drawn by
the the laser onto the film or plate.

--
Mac Townsend,
Adcom Graphics, Fairfield, California:
Electronic Prepress & Large Format Imaging
www.adcomgraphics.com