[KLUG Members] printing and Linux

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> Printing in Linux has a different starting point. Printing is done by a
> printing server (not a conputer but a proces taking care of all the
> connected printers). Also known as spooler.

The same is true on windows, the process is called SPOOLSS and it runs
(and crashes) on every workstation and server.

> An user spools a printing job to towards this server which handles all of
> the job. 

This is not necessarily true.  In Windows or LINUX, the
rendering/filtration part of the job can take place either on the
workstation or the server depending upon configuration.  But for Windows
this requires (a) a driver that supports it or at least doesn't break
it, (2) a Windows print server [Eee Gads!], and (III) patience to endure
the MCSE's blank stare when you try to explain how it is setup.  

Is practicing the blank-stare actually part of the MCSE exam?  Because
those guys have it down pat, they may even have a better one than what I
saw when trying to explain the concept of a tolerant and pluralistic
society to a high school <cough>"guidance"</cough> councilor.

> In linux it is the spooler how does the make up of the pages after it has
> decided to which printer it is send. This means you can hook up different
> printers makes to an linux system, each with its own (different)
> printer-language. Once the spooler has choosen an printer, it renders the
> pages in the right layout and printer-language and sends the job to the
> printer-hardware. (unless you use an 'raw' printer).

This is basically exactly the same process as happens on Windows,
especially if we are talking Windows XP or later as truly compatible
print drivers no longer run any 'kernel mode' crap.  M$ has learned the
lesson about having printer drivers be true device drivers (BAD!).

> Drawback is indeed that the user is not informed about the state of
> specific printers. Although you can see the state with something like
> lpstat.

CUPS is an IPP server, the state of printers can be polled.  This is
what gnome-print-manager does, and other such applications.  There is
also, I believe, a system tray icon that does this.  Also services like
Samba have no problem feeding back printer status from an IPP queue to a
Win32 client.  But to my knowledge CUPS itself does not support any kind
of notification system,  although you are free to monitor the logs.  It
would be nice if it provided something like Cyrus's notifyd.
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