LPRng - An Enhanced Printer Spooler

The LPRng software is an enhanced, extended, and portable implementation of the Berkeley LPR print spooler functionality. While providing the same interface and meeting RFC1179 requirements, the implementation is completely new and provides support for the following features:

Complete (no databases needed) lpr, lpc, and lprm programs
Dynamic redirection of print queues; automatic job holding
Highly verbose diagnostics
Multiple printers serving a single queue
Client programs do not need to run SUID root
Greatly enhanced security checks
Greatly improved permission and authorization mechanism

The source software compiles and runs on a wide variety of UNIX systems, and is compatible with other print spoolers and network printers that use the LPR interface and meet RFC1179 requirements.

SVR4 LP and LPSTAT Emultation

LPRng provides emulation packages for the SVR4 lp and lpstat programs, eliminating the need for another print spooler package. These emulation packages can be modified according to local requirements, in order to support vintage printing systems.

Security and Authentication

For users that require secure and/or authenticated printing support, LPRng supports Kerberos V, MIT Kerberos IV Print Support, and PGP authentication. LPRng is being adopted by MIT for use as their Campus Wide printing support system. Additional authentication support is extremely simple to add.

Licensing, Commercial Support, and Y2k Compliance

LPRng is Open Source Software, and the current public distribution is available from the listed FTP and Web Sites. LPRng is distributed under the GPL or Artistic license. Licenses and support agreements for users who do not want to use the terms of the above licenses may be obtained from AStArt Technologies which provides commercial support and enhancements for the LPRng and other network software. AStArt provides network and system consulting services for UNIX and NT systems, as well as real time and network software.

The LPRng software has no known Year 2000 data dependencies. Where necessary, dates are generated using values relative to the UNIX Epoch, and will be consistent to 2034 at a conservative estimate. Details are available in the Y2K Compliance file in the source distribution.

History

LPRng is the brainchild of Patrick Powell. He did the most work and was sole maintainer upto version 3.8.27. In 2005 he left the project suddenly. Since the project is still used in several places a group of developers started to revive the project in end 2006. The main goal of the project for now is bugfixing. The second goal is to collect lpr related projects.

LPRng has loyal fans all around the world but please understand that we are volunteers. If you realy need 24/7 support you may conntact Patrick Powell or any other developer.

Note:There is no garantee that we will include your code into the source of LPRng !