[KLUG Members] printing and Linux

[Bert Bbbink]

>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.

True.

>> 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.

I left that out for simplicity; I have OO on my lapptop render docs; and
have cups directly print to a (raw) network printer; Mostly bypassing any
window clients who are waiting to print too.
On most large sites I suppose the spooler does the page rendering.

>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.
Beats me, I have once met a msce who did not understand how to change the
ip address on his pc; He had just learned everthing from the book without
understanding anything...

Can you have a printer queue under windows where just one printer is
choosen from a serie?

>> 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.

Regards,

Bert.