Randy has posed some compelling questions that should serve to
clarify the IPP direction, and perhaps to some extent, its viability.
Don suggested a few answers to these questions that might raise
additional issues:
> > 3. Where do I get the driver?
>> Possible solutions including "Ask the printer?" "Administrator
> configuration", others
Too many times "Administrator configuration" equates to "Sweep it
under the carpet" in systems design. Let's make sure we don't
find ourselves repeatedly saying things like "That topic is
implementation-dependent...it's up to the vendor to decide."
Let's be straight here. If IPP reaches the kind of potential most
folks have been talking about over the last few months, we're about
to propose a major shift in the design of printing systems for the
average Enterprise. If "Administrator configuration" is the response
to a question, then hopefully we will be willing to delineate how
such configuration should be performed, if not via explicit rules,
then by strong guidelines backed by proven reference implementations.
> > 4. Who will write the drivers and are there
> > licensing issues involved?
>> All printer manufacturers love to give away their drivers through
> as many sources as possible. It means they are selling more
> hardware and using up supplies.
Perhaps an intermediate mail transfer agent ate up Don's smiley
faces on this response. ;-) Seriously, the printer vendors I
have spoken with consistently bemoan the continued give-away of
such printer drivers.
It's going to be tough to write such drivers if it ends up that
the browser vendors must become deeply involved in making the
client side of IPP work in a clean and robust fashion.
Just some thoughts.
...jay
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