Apple Licenses CUPS [Archive]

arn

Mar 2, 2002, 12:17 AM

Per a MacNN link, Apple Licensed the Common UNIX Printing System (http://www.easysw.com/news.php?VN68+CALL):

CUPS provides a portable printing layer for UNIX®-based operating systems. It has been developed by Easy Software Products to promote a standard printing solution for all UNIX/Linux vendors and users. CUPS provides the System V and Berkeley command-line interfaces.

CUPS uses the Internet Printing Protocol ("IPP") as the basis for managing print jobs and queues. The Line Printer Daemon ("LPD") Server Message Block ("SMB"), and AppSocket (a.k.a. JetDirect) protocols are also supported with reduced functionality. CUPS adds network printer browsing and PostScript Printer Description ("PPD") based printing options to support real-world printing under UNIX.

No indication as to when this will be intergrated into OS X.

AlphaTech

Mar 2, 2002, 01:07 AM

Looks like OS X will continue to grow, and Apple will be evolving it as time goes by. It is great to see that they are adding functionality to it, granted some of the implementation may take longer then some people would like.

How long before m$ follows in Apple's footsteps (yet again) and starts to make heXPee actually usuable??? Don't hold your breath.

mac15

Mar 2, 2002, 04:58 AM

like steve jobs says we don't have to wait for the future its alreay here

krossfyter

Mar 2, 2002, 05:08 AM

steve jobs said that ...i thought it was martha stewart who said that! hmm.

ginoledesma

Mar 2, 2002, 10:46 AM

That would help solve "unofficial" driver support, at the very least, but I do hope Apple would be able to help back by trying to develop something for them as well. :)

unclepain

Mar 2, 2002, 12:57 PM

I don't really understand what this will enable Mac users to do. Does this mean we will have the ability to browse and print to any printer under the sun? How will this be used in Mac OSX?

alex_ant

Mar 2, 2002, 01:22 PM

CUPS is a pretty neat network-aware print spooling system. It would be nice to see this replace OS X's current somewhat-antiquated print subsystem. I just hope Apple makes it easier to set up than in Unix!

(alex_ant fondly remembers the solid seven days he spent getting CUPS to work with his simple HP Deskjet in Linux...)

kenkooler

Mar 4, 2002, 07:54 PM

Great idea from Apple, when I install Linux on PCs there are drivers for every pronter I can think of... even more than one driver for most of them =)