12.2 Print Servers

There are several different Unix print servers. Here are just a few:

Berkeley LPD (Line Printer Daemon) One of the oldest print servers around, this system is fairly stable, but is somewhat sparse on features and can be difficult to configure. Many network-capable printers have integrated LPD servers.
LPRng This new spin on LPD has many new features, but in all honesty, is not any easier to configure. You may also see a related package named PLP (Portable Line Printer).
lpsched This is the System V printing system. If you're lucky, you'll never have to see it.
CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) Sooner or later, someone was bound to get so fed up with the ugly state of printer clients and daemons on Unix that they wanted to rip everything to pieces. CUPS is the latest entry in the Unix printing field, and it may prove to be the most successful. Its internals and protocol departs from the older printing systems, but it still has a server (called the scheduler) and print filters. In addition, the client commands are mostly identical to the lpsched commands, with LPD-compatible substitutes as well.

This chapter concentrates on CUPS, which is quickly gaining popularity because it is definitely much easier to configure and use than the alternatives. In particular, CUPS offers a Web-based interface for many of the more mundane printing tasks.