Re: next Beta

[Chuck Moss <cmrhen mossc com>]

On Fri, Nov 30, 2001 at 07:54:15PM +0100, Alain RICHARD wrote:
> we are using cups on various RH servers without any problem since several 
> months now.
> 
> I think once you have tried cups, you wont anymore wants to run another 
> print spooler. The main advantages of cups are:
> 
> - all printers are treadted as postscript printers with a ppd file 
> describing there functionnalities
> - to add a new postscript printer you only need its ppd file
> - all non postscript printer may be added with foomatic and ghostscript. 
> The plus is that they are then treated as postscript printers. Note that 
> RH is already using foomatic/ghostscript with LPRng
> - it recognized easily a lot of printers network connections : lpd, ipp, 
> smb, //, serial and easily netatalk
> - it has a very usefull http server to handle the print queues (and also 
> the standard lpstat/cancel/lpq unix commands)
> - all capabilities of printers are recognized and configurable easily. For 
> example you may tell it that your printer have got two paper trays and a 
> full duplex unit. Then you can command from lp/lpr the paper tray, duplex,
>   reductions, ...
> 
> Since several months now, cups is very stable and usable.
> 
> Just my $.02

You missed my favorite feature.  You can add a printer at the command line.
Very usable in automated installs.  Kickstart is getting better and better.
If I could only add a printer at the command line like the good old lpadmin
from the early days of UNIX.
For me that is the most critical feature of a printing system in many
installations.  Right now in all my kickstart installs I download CUPS
built for mandrake as another part of the install.  That is easier to deal
with than the kludge I have to do to get the stock print system configured
in the kickstart config.


Chuck