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Question. I haven't used a Printer for a while so I don't know much about printers, but wasn't it possible to print from wi-fi for quite some time now? Or is it

by pavs 16y ago

Question. I haven't used a Printer for a while so I don't know much about printers, but wasn't it possible to print from wi-fi for quite some time now? Or is it really a "next-generation print architecture" as Apple like to call it.

FluidDjango 16y ago
Here's the part that sounds like a break-through convenience to me: >a next-generation Wi-Fi print architecture that dramatically >simplifies printing by completely eliminating printer drivers
- smackfu 16y ago
  That seems pretty silly. You can't eliminate drivers -- something has to talk to the hardware -- you can just standardize them.
  - jamesaguilar 16y ago
    What sounds better to a potential customer: "This technology eliminates the need for dealing with printer drivers" or "This technology standardizes printer drivers?" If I'm the salesman, I'm going to go with the former. It's not even really a falsehood from the perspective of someone who would have to install the drivers.
    - jasonlotito 16y ago
      It's a falsehood when you leave out the part where it only works with very specific printers that support your new driver.
      - jamesaguilar 16y ago
        Since that part was not left out, I don't see what the problem is.
        gloob 16y ago
        I'm not particularly interested in debating the honesty or lack thereof of the advertising. I just want to say that I'm glad that Apple's innovations will allow us to leave behind the old world where you had to either desperately hope the printer would work with you or fight with drivers, and enter a brave new world where you have to either desperately hope the printer will work for you or fight with drivers.
- jasonlotito 16y ago
  That sounded cool until I read the press release: "A selection of AirPrint enabled printers including the HP Photosmart, HP LaserJet Pro and HP Officejet will be the first to support printing direct from iOS devices." I take that to mean the printer needs to support this, which means AirPrint replaces the driver, and rather than adapt the driver to the OS, the printer adapts to the driver. Is this the case? It would be nice if AirPrint could be enabled for non-AirPrint printers through something like Apple's AirPort Extreme, which already makes printer sharing easy. Maybe this is already supported via some other means and I'm just missing something.
  - halostatue 16y ago
    You can enable non-AirPrint printers by sharing them through iTunes 10 (PC) or Mac OS X 10.6.5 (Mac).
    - glhaynes 16y ago
      You could in earlier dev releases but not in the later ones (including, apparently, the public releases today). Apple hasn't made a public statement that I've seen saying whether that feature is coming back. On the plus side, some cheap 3rd party utilities have already sprung up to add that feature.
      - mmorris 16y ago
        There seems to be some confusion on this, as the Engadget review of iOS 4.2 includes this: You are able to utilize printers connected to other machines on your network (in OS X 10.6.5 only), but it's a slightly clunkier way to get things done. But other reviews I've seen, including MacWorld's, seem to imply that printing to a shared printer isn't supported. I've built printing into my iOS app, so I'm a bit desperate to determine what the status is exactly. It's so frustrating because it works fine in iOS 4.2 beta, and the difference between AirPrint-compatible printers only and supporting any printer is HUGE (obviously).
        BigZaphod 16y ago
tjansen 16y ago
Today wi-fi printers usually use some proprietary protocol (and with my Canon and HP printers I had nothing but trouble). Currently the only way to print over the net without drivers is to use Postscript-capable, or possibly PCL-capable, printers with support for LPD or IPP protocols. That's common for network laser printers, but not for cheap consumer inkjets. So if Apple can get manufacturers to support a common protocol for network-enabled consumer-level printers, that would quite an improvement. At least for Apple users...

by pavs 16y ago

FluidDjango 16y ago

Here's the part that sounds like a break-through convenience to me: >a next-generation Wi-Fi print architecture that dramatically >simplifies printing by completely eliminating printer drivers

smackfu 16y ago
That seems pretty silly. You can't eliminate drivers -- something has to talk to the hardware -- you can just standardize them.
- jamesaguilar 16y ago
  What sounds better to a potential customer: "This technology eliminates the need for dealing with printer drivers" or "This technology standardizes printer drivers?" If I'm the salesman, I'm going to go with the former. It's not even really a falsehood from the perspective of someone who would have to install the drivers.
  - jasonlotito 16y ago
    It's a falsehood when you leave out the part where it only works with very specific printers that support your new driver.
    - jamesaguilar 16y ago
      Since that part was not left out, I don't see what the problem is.
      - gloob 16y ago
        I'm not particularly interested in debating the honesty or lack thereof of the advertising. I just want to say that I'm glad that Apple's innovations will allow us to leave behind the old world where you had to either desperately hope the printer would work with you or fight with drivers, and enter a brave new world where you have to either desperately hope the printer will work for you or fight with drivers.
jasonlotito 16y ago
That sounded cool until I read the press release: "A selection of AirPrint enabled printers including the HP Photosmart, HP LaserJet Pro and HP Officejet will be the first to support printing direct from iOS devices." I take that to mean the printer needs to support this, which means AirPrint replaces the driver, and rather than adapt the driver to the OS, the printer adapts to the driver. Is this the case? It would be nice if AirPrint could be enabled for non-AirPrint printers through something like Apple's AirPort Extreme, which already makes printer sharing easy. Maybe this is already supported via some other means and I'm just missing something.
- halostatue 16y ago
  You can enable non-AirPrint printers by sharing them through iTunes 10 (PC) or Mac OS X 10.6.5 (Mac).
  - glhaynes 16y ago
    You could in earlier dev releases but not in the later ones (including, apparently, the public releases today). Apple hasn't made a public statement that I've seen saying whether that feature is coming back. On the plus side, some cheap 3rd party utilities have already sprung up to add that feature.
    - mmorris 16y ago
      There seems to be some confusion on this, as the Engadget review of iOS 4.2 includes this: You are able to utilize printers connected to other machines on your network (in OS X 10.6.5 only), but it's a slightly clunkier way to get things done. But other reviews I've seen, including MacWorld's, seem to imply that printing to a shared printer isn't supported. I've built printing into my iOS app, so I'm a bit desperate to determine what the status is exactly. It's so frustrating because it works fine in iOS 4.2 beta, and the difference between AirPrint-compatible printers only and supporting any printer is HUGE (obviously).
      - BigZaphod 16y ago

tjansen 16y ago

Today wi-fi printers usually use some proprietary protocol (and with my Canon and HP printers I had nothing but trouble). Currently the only way to print over the net without drivers is to use Postscript-capable, or possibly PCL-capable, printers with support for LPD or IPP protocols. That's common for network laser printers, but not for cheap consumer inkjets. So if Apple can get manufacturers to support a common protocol for network-enabled consumer-level printers, that would quite an improvement. At least for Apple users...