FreeBSD Handbook
: Printing
: Why You Should Use the Spooler
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7.2. Why You Should Use the Spooler
If you are the sole user of your system, you may be
wondering why you should bother with the spooler when you
do not need access control, header pages, or printer
accounting. While it is possible to enable direct access to
a printer, you should use the spooler anyway since
- LPD prints jobs in the background; you do not have
to wait for data to be copied to the printer.
- LPD can conveniently run a job to be printed
through filters to add date/time headers or convert a
special file format (such as a TeX DVI file) into a
format the printer will understand. You will not have to do
these steps manually.
- Many free and commercial programs that provide a
print feature usually expect to talk to the spooler on
your system. By setting up the spooling system, you will
more easily support other software you may later add or
already have.
FreeBSD Handbook
: Printing
: Why You Should Use the Spooler
Previous: What the Spooler Does
Next: Setting Up the Spooling System
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Updated March 2, 1999