Re: [Gnome-print] Re: [Gimp-print-devel] An introduction to gnome-print (fwd)

[Michael Sweet <mike easysw com>]

Miguel de Icaza wrote:
> ...
> How can you tell from a 10 line Postscript program how much ink and
> paper is generated on the printer without printer help?  Or how can
> you tell if a 200 megabyte postscript file generates a single page or
> kills the entire amazon rainforest?

Most PostScript files contain comments that specify the beginning
of each page, the options that are used, etc.  Put a PostScript RIP
in the picture and you can even handle files that don't have these
things.  Most PostScript printers also provide a status channel so
you can get accurate page counts, usage, etc.

> ...
> You dislike shared libraries?  No problem.
> 
> We go one step further and we use the Bonobo component technology and
> OAF, which actually implements (1) and (2) and can even implement
> (3).
> 
> This just adds a dependency on Bonobo/CORBA and requires us to
> standarize on some bits in the OAF name space, but in the end it is
> the right solution.
> 
> OAF can talk to other remote OAFs and can locate, activate, launch
> servers both locally and remotely.

Oh goodie, yet another unnecessary heavy layer that reinvents IPP.

First, applications shouldn't be responsible for being printer
drivers; it may be fine if you have GNOME (or XYZ toolkit) application,
but it doesn't translate into support for all applications.

Second, there are existing, implemented, and supported printing
solutions based on LPD and IPP.  LPD sucks but can support basic
PostScript printing without too much trouble.  IPP is the best
replacement available, is already supported by CUPS, and provides
a application/toolkit-neutral interface for printing and getting
printer information - namely IPP.  GNOME-print with an IPP interface
would provide all of the current functionality in a networked
environment.  GNOME applications can provide output in the sRGB
colorspace and the printing system and drivers can provide the
color, font, etc. management from there.

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products                  mike@easysw.com
Printing Software for UNIX                       http://www.easysw.com