Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!dino!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!uwm.edu!bionet!apple!lsr
From: lsr@Apple.COM (Larry Rosenstein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Windows/Mac flame war fuel
Message-ID: <8998@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 5 Jul 90 21:04:09 GMT
References: <8974@goofy.Apple.COM> <2988@gmdzi.UUCP> <7729@jarthur.Claremont.EDU> <3040@gmdzi.UUCP>
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 21

In article <3040@gmdzi.UUCP> strobl@gmdzi.UUCP (Wolfgang Strobl) writes:
>
>Let me restate my question. Does a Macintosh printer driver query 
>the printer about such things, i.e. what font cartriges are installed,
>whether the paper is in to upper or in the lower reservoir, how much
>memory it has installed, which paper size is loaded ...?

Yes.  The ImageWriter driver checks to see if the printer is an ImageWriter
I or II, and the LaserWriter driver asks the printer about the dictionaries,
fonts, etc. that is has downloaded.  

It isn't essential that every Macintosh printer driver do this.  Querying
the printer eliminates the need for the user to configure things.  (For
example, we could ship separate ImageWriter I and II drivers, but then the
user would have to select the proper one manually.)

-- 
		 Larry Rosenstein,  Object Specialist
 Apple Computer, Inc.  20525 Mariani Ave, MS 46-B  Cupertino, CA 95014
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