Easy Software Products has announced that Apple has licensed the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) for Mac OS X. CUPS is a printing solution for *nix based operating systems that is designed to allow the producers of the various flavors of their brand of *nix to use a single, and therefore common, printing subsystem. It would appear that Apple could conceivably replace or augment the current printing subsystem in Mac OS X with it. From Easy Software Products:
Easy Software Products announced today that Apple Computer, Inc. has licensed the Common UNIX Printing System ("CUPS") for use with Apple operating systems and software.
The CUPS software will provide enhanced printing capabilities to MacOS X and other Apple software as well as improved UNIX/Linux and Windows interoperability. The standard CUPS distribution will be provided with Appleis open source Darwin operating system, while an enhanced version of CUPS with Appleis Aqua user interface will be provided with MacOS X.
CUPS provides a portable printing layer for UNIX®-based operating systems. It has been developed by Easy Software Products to promote a standard printing solution for all UNIX/Linux vendors and users. CUPS provides the System V and Berkeley command-line interfaces.
CUPS uses the Internet Printing Protocol ("IPP") as the basis for managing print jobs and queues. The Line Printer Daemon ("LPD") Server Message Block ("SMB"), and AppSocket (a.k.a. JetDirect) protocols are also supported with reduced functionality. CUPS adds network printer browsing and PostScript Printer Description ("PPD") based printing options to support real-world printing under UNIX.
CUPS also includes a customized version of GNU Ghostscript (currently based off GNU Ghostscript 5.50) and an image file RIP that are used to support non-PostScript printers. Sample drivers for Dymo, EPSON, HP, and OKIDATA printers are included that use these filters.
CUPS is licensed under the GNU General Public License and GNU Library General Public License.
You can find more information on CUPS at the companyis Web site.