Traditionally, printer software includes multiple components such as a 'Print Options' dialog box, a module for creating the specific language (the PDL - Page Description Language), and a module for communication between the client and printer. Security is also enhanced, as there is no requirement to give a user elevated 'software installation permission' when they want to print to a new printer.ĭriverless printing is a significant development for printer manufacturers as it eliminates the need to repeatedly develop and release software for every new printer brought to the market. ![]() ![]() If the printers available change during the lifetime of the computer or device, no additional software is required. Additionally, users can print to it using a familiar interface.įor enterprises, driverless printing simplifies the deployment of new computer equipment since there is no need to load printer drivers for specific printers. This standardization of the printing experience across printers eliminates the need for users to learn how to print to a new printer. The benefits of driverless printingĭriverless printing simplifies the process of printing for users (knowledge workers) by allowing any device to print to any printer without requiring special software. Today, there are over 120 million Mopria-certified printers from 24 manufacturers with 6,500+ certified printer models.Īdopting these standards, including PDF, enables "driverless" printing - a win-win-win for all. In 2018, Microsoft Windows added support for PDF to be sent to Mopria-certified printers, using a solution that works out-of-the-box without needing additional software: the Windows IPP Class Driver. Mopria worked with Google to include this support as standard in Android phones. In the Android world, the Mopria Alliance of printer manufacturers leveraged PDF as a standard way to send documents to printers from an extensive list of vendors. As a result, PDF gradually became a standard for printing across different operating systems and devices - leading to the reinvention of how computers print.Īpple's OSX adopted PDF as the file generated on the computer before it was sent to print, and PDF became one of the pillars of AirPrint, the standard used by all Apple products for printing. The PDF format was printer independent, meaning it did not include instructions for a specific printer. It had some additional features helpful for displaying those pages on the screen, such as navigating backward and forwards through the document, and even bookmarks for skipping to the index, from where you could jump back to a reference in the document. PDF was derived from the PostScript printer language and aimed to make documents viewable on any display and printable on any modern printer. If this problem can be solved, then the fundamental way people work will change." ![]() As Adobe's co-founder, John Warnock, said at the time, "Documents should be viewable on any display and should be printable on any modern printer. In 1992, Adobe invented PDF - the Portable Document Format. PDF: The printing standard that continues to change the game Eventually, printer manufacturers started creating apps for smartphones to address this issue. These platforms did not have printer drivers, meaning third-party software and workarounds were needed to print. With the rise of smartphones and tablets, the problem of printer drivers evolved. You needed the correct driver for each printer if you had multiple printers. There were many different data formats for communicating with printers, with each manufacturer using a different language and often different dialects between printer models. Without the correct driver, the printer might not work or have access to all its features. Before using the printer, you had to "install" the driver software from the disks. These drivers were necessary to make the printer work with your computer and would vary based on the type of computer or operating system you had. If you bought a printer many years ago, it would have come with floppy disks or a CD containing Printer Drivers.
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