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

[Robert L Krawitz <rlk alum mit edu>]

   Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000 02:21:54 +0200 (CEST)
   From: Lauris Kaplinski <lauris@ariman.ee>

   Huge bitmaps are needed every time, PS does not have necessary functions,
   so everything should be rendered in client-side.

OK, here's a little conundrum for you (hypothetical).

I'm managing a small graphic arts office, which has just upgraded from
an Epson Stylus 1200 to a 1270.  We haven't tossed the 1200; we've
kept it around, because our printing needs will grow and having a
spare printer never hurts.

I have 3 or 4 graphic designers, who have queued up a bunch of proofs
that they need printed in the next hour.  Suddenly, our 1270 breaks,
and we have to throw the 1200 into service.  However, we still have
the queue of jobs that need to be printed, and that the jobs don't
need any special 1270 features.

Ignoring the fact that right now the 1270 actually uses the 1200
driver (it won't as soon as we learn the 1200-specific magic), with
your solution, exactly how would I be able to throw the 1200 into
service?  Having a cluster of very similar printers, and each print
job comes out on the first available one, is quite common in an IT
shop; the printers might not be identical, just compatible within
appropriate parameters.


Another issue with client-side rendering is that a hostile user could
very easily break or damage a printer.  Most Epson printers don't
check the paper edge.  If I've loaded a bunch of letter size paper,
the printer will still let me try to print legal size width.  If I
actually do that, I'll dump a whole bunch of ink into the paper
support area, which will stain any future prints unless I clean it
very well, which isn't easy.  I could also send it the commands to
clean the print head a dozen times in a row, which may not be too good
for the print head.

-- 
Robert Krawitz <rlk@alum.mit.edu>      http://www.tiac.net/users/rlk/

Tall Clubs International  --  http://www.tall.org/ or 1-888-IM-TALL-2
Member of the League for Programming Freedom -- mail lpf@uunet.uu.net
Project lead for The Gimp Print --  http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net

"Linux doesn't dictate how I work, I dictate how Linux works."
--Eric Crampton