Great stuff.
Now what happens when little Johnny (or whoever - don't read too much into
this) sends his colour files to my media expensive printer (deliberately or
in error) ? No paswords or security ?
Aw shucks. Just as everything is getting networked and NT and Apple have or
are adding access controls to their o/s, the printer manufacturers are
still dragging their heels on adapting to the paradigm that printers are no
longer necessarily in closed (trusted) shops - hence the reason HP put a
password on its JetDirect cards as an interim solution.
How many programs are there on the market for Mac/PC security that the
manufacturers deem un-important ? About a dozen at least that I know of.
Perhaps the solution is a very expensive proprietory print server, like -
Novell or a Eunuchs box ? !! How convenient. I guess smaller workgroups
will just have to buy it.
I sit amazed that that with all the activity, money and effort being
expended by PWG members that this critical requirement is so neglected
except by IPDS (which is not practical, too obscure, too expensive etc).
When will someone have the brains to fill this void ? Networking etc will
make this problem more, not less acute. Is this really so technically hard
to do in hardware or is it just that printer companies and their lame
marketing departments are too bureaucratic to rapidly do anything in
anticipation ?
Where are the innovators and visionaries who can see this shift ?
geoff slater