Subject: Re: PWG-ANNOUNCE> Future work of the PWG

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 12:47:41 -0400

Ira:

While my idea seeding note said "Linux" it is not unreasonable to extend that to
all of Unix.  As I am sure you are aware, the Unix print architecture leaves a
lot to be desired:

- no standard GUI
- each application generates the print datastreams
- datastream transforms via "hacks" like ghostscript
- lack of integration between the printer's status and configuration and print
stream generation

When one looks at the printing model for Windows and the Macintosh, it is
obvious to me that Unix/Linux has failed to move forward to provide the full
functionality and ease of use that Windows and Mac have provided.

Hence the question:  Is there some standardization work the PWG can do to
facilitate improvement of Linux/Unix printing?

**********************************************
* Don Wright                 [email-masked] *
* Director, Strategic & Technical Alliances  *
* Lexmark International                      *
* 740 New Circle Rd                          *
* Lexington, Ky 40550                        *
* 606-232-4808 (phone) 606-232-6740 (fax)    *
**********************************************

[email-masked] on 08/19/99 12:14:14 AM

To:   Don Wright@LEXMARK, [email-masked]
cc:   [email-masked]
Subject:  Re: PWG-ANNOUNCE> Future work of the PWG

Hi Don and Jay,

OK - I'll bite.  What does the fact that the platform happens
to be Linux have to do with how printing works?

And although I've often urged telecons for those not present
at PWG monthly meetings, I've finally abandoned the idea -
because while good conference phones exist they *never* seem
to be in place in the PWG meeting room - so everyone out on
the net can hear each other just fine and spends the whole
time trying to figure out what anyone in the PWG meeting
room is saying.

But I'm glad to hear you folks plan to have a 'brainstorming'
session in September.  The idea is good.  It's the execution
that could use some creative and *practical* ideas (an example
of an *impractical* idea is for everyone active in the PWG
to agree on one piece of collaborative software and then
throw away any of their own systems or operating systems
that don't fit it, just for the ephemeral benefits of
'electronic collaboration' - my opinion, of course).

Cheers,
- Ira McDonald
  High North Inc
  906-494-2697/2434 (home/office)

---

From: Michael Sweet <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 16:51:09 -0400

[email-masked] wrote:
> ...
> When one looks at the printing model for Windows and the Macintosh,
> it is obvious to me that Unix/Linux has failed to move forward to
> provide the full functionality and ease of use that Windows and Mac
> have provided.
> 
> Hence the question:  Is there some standardization work the PWG can
> do to facilitate improvement of Linux/Unix printing?

Don,

Much of my presentation and whitepaper that I'll be supplying for the
Denver meeting will address this very point.  We have implemented a
new open-source printing system called "CUPS" (Common UNIX Printing
System) that is based on IPP and provides a modern printing
environment for UNIX.  We're working with the GNOME folks (and
hopefully soon the KDE folks) to define standard GUI APIs for printing
using CUPS.  CUPS already provides the low-level interface stuff
needed to get printer capabilities, etc.

So basically I'm saying that the PWG has already done enough to get
things rolling.  Right now CUPS implements all of the required ops
and most of the optional and extension operations, however to get the
admin stuff going and support multiple printers (and classes) we've
added several extension operations of our own.  That's the source of
another proposal for the IPP WG that I haven't had a chance to 
finish...

Unfortunately, since I'm in the middle of writing a book, finalizing
our software releases, etc., I won't be able to attend the Denver
meeting... :(  Hopefully the slides and documentation I provide will
at least get some discussion going (as if the PWG needs any
encouragement! :)

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products                  [email-masked]
Printing Software for UNIX                       http://www.easysw.com
   "I do software development for Linux; where's my sledgehammer?"