Brief History of Cups Printing in MacOS
CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) is a printing system for Unix-like operating systems, which includes MacOS. CUPS provides a standardized interface between applications and printers, making it easier to manage printing tasks and add new printers.
Early History of CUPS
CUPS was created by Michael Sweet in 1999, while he was working at Easy Software Products (ESP). At the time, Unix-like operating systems had several printing systems, but none of them were easy to use or had broad hardware support. Sweet saw an opportunity to create a new printing system that would be both user-friendly and able to support a wide range of printers.
CUPS and MacOS
Apple began including CUPS with MacOS starting with MacOS X 10.2 (Jaguar), released in 2002. CUPS replaced the older Print Center printing system and provided a more modern, standardized interface for managing printers and print jobs.
With CUPS, MacOS users could easily add new printers, whether they were USB- connected, networked, or shared from another computer. CUPS also provided a web-based interface for managing printers and print jobs, which was a new feature for MacOS users.
CUPS Development and Apple
In 2007, Apple purchased Easy Software Products, the company founded by Michael Sweet that developed CUPS. Apple continued to maintain and develop CUPS, with Sweet becoming an Apple employee. Under Apple's ownership, CUPS development continued, with new features and improvements added over time.
CUPS Modernization
In recent years, CUPS has undergone modernization efforts to bring it up to date with modern printing standards and technology. One such effort is the implementation of the IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) Everywhere initiative, which aims to make IPP the standard printing protocol for all devices.
CUPS and Open Source
Despite being owned by Apple, CUPS remains an open-source project, with the source code available for anyone to download and modify. CUPS uses the Apache License, Version 2.0, which permits both open-source and commercial use of the software.
CUPS has come a long way since its creation in 1999, and it has become an essential part of MacOS's printing system. With its user-friendly interface, broad hardware support, and modern development efforts, CUPS is well- positioned to continue serving as a standard printing system for Unix-like operating systems for years to come.
References
- CUPS Documentation
- CUPS on Wikipedia
- CUPS Programming Guide (versions prior to MacOS 10.12)
- CUPS Programming Guide (MacOS 10.12 and later)
- Apache License, Version 2.0