From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Feb 21 09:40:37 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BE65B16A409 for ; Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:40:37 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from perryh@pluto.rain.com) Received: from agora.rdrop.com (agora.rdrop.com [199.26.172.34]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8E12013C4EA for ; Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:40:37 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from perryh@pluto.rain.com) Received: from agora.rdrop.com (66@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by agora.rdrop.com (8.13.1/8.12.7) with ESMTP id m1L9eacV069955 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NOT); Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:40:37 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from perryh@pluto.rain.com) Received: (from uucp@localhost) by agora.rdrop.com (8.13.1/8.12.9/Submit) with UUCP id m1L9eaog069954; Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:40:36 -0800 (PST) Received: from fbsd61 by pluto.rain.com (4.1/SMI-4.1-pluto-M2060407) id AA21580; Thu, 21 Feb 08 01:31:22 PST Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:26:29 -0800 From: perryh@pluto.rain.com To: punosevac@math.arizona.edu Message-Id: <47bd43c5.1179RhaITzzeGoJP%perryh@pluto.rain.com> References: <20080220080221.GA1947@thought.org> <47bd071c.l1X4zL211zZ5iyza%perryh@pluto.rain.com> <47BD1434.90006@math.arizona.edu> <47BD1BC7.4000609@math.arizona.edu> In-Reply-To: <47BD1BC7.4000609@math.arizona.edu> User-Agent: nail 11.25 7/29/05 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: DJ500 dead after >= 16 years. X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:40:37 -0000 > >>> Guys, I need some input about what kind of _new_ printer to buy > >>> for my desktops. I'd like to hang the printer off my FBSD box; > >>> my Ubuntu platform is probably too far away. At least 3 meters. > >> > >> A few months ago I got a Samsung ML-2571N for well under $100 at > >> Fry's. It is small, light, fast; has a built-in 10/100 network > >> port, handles PostScript, and speaks native lpr > > > > What is lpr? see "man lpr" and its "see also" entries. > > Usually printers speak Post Script or PCL printer command > > language As I said, this one speaks PostScript. > > in which case you need a driver. Not in this case :) > > LPD, LPRng, and CUPS are different spooling systems. > > Did you attach the printer to a computer or is acting as a free > > standing printer server. It is freestanding. > There is a lpr driver by Brother for Linux. Brother and Canon have > binary blob drivers. Did you use that driver may be? I didn't install any drivers, just added it to printcap and hosts: lp|Samsung ML-2571N PostScript network printer:\ :sh:\ :rm=ml2571n:sd=/var/spool/output/ml2571n:lf=/var/log/lpd-errs: 192.168.200.201 ml2571n and it Just Works (TM). I suppose apps like OpenOffice might need to be told it is a PostScript printer. If I needed to do that, and didn't have anything more specific handy, I would just configure it as a LaserWriter NTX. I have yet to find a monochrome PostScript printer for which that does not work well enough. > Does anyone know if those binary blobs can be useful for anything > on FreeBSD. They appear to be wrappers for standard Ghost Script > drivers. I noticed also that some drivers for older Brother > printers are removed from Ghost Script 7.0 and 8.0. AFAIK GS is only needed if you want to print PostScript files on a printer that does not contain a PostScript interpreter. It's not needed when dealing with a PostScript printer.