9 Nov
2001
9 Nov
'01
2:06 a.m.
In WFW 3.1 support was added for network printing protocols using "SMBs"
over NetBIOS I believe (these are ancient memories here). Several folks
offer print "servers" that listen for the broadcasts and can print. The HP
JetDirect series is probably the most prevalent.
The issue with later printers wasn't Windows but the Vendors. At one point
HP would prevent you from "sharing" (aka allowing others on the network to
use) their low end inkjets. This was to encourage you to buy more expensive
inkjets (supposedly heavier duty). I believe they figured out they sell
more ink either way and dropped this but I'm not sure.
The other thing HP did was invent their own printing protocol (the
JetDirect protocol) and they would install a virtual printer driver that
could talk that protocol to talk to their printers.
--Chuck
At 01:20 AM 11/9/01 -0800, Mike Ford wrote:
I've been digging at this problem for a few weeks,
and I almost don't
believe the answer. Windows machines apparently won't print directly to
network printers. (obviously NT will, ditto maybe w2k, but not 95 or 98).
The story I hear is that Microsoft wanted to sell more NT servers, so they
pulled the support for standard protocols like LPR (something like that)
forcing users to print from a workstation to a NT server, which contains
the protocols to talk to the network printers directly. Why did windows
users allow MicroSoft to get away with crap like that?
BTW the sane alternative appears to be SAMBA, but it still is really wrong.
HP has wizard software that gets around this somehow, but Apple can't even
remember it was in the printer business 4 years ago.