[cups.general] new feature: provide a link to let Windows user download PPD files?

[Zhang Weiwu]

Hello. We run cups on a department centralized print room, everyone in
the company who run Windows desktop (90% of them) need to read the "add
printer Instruction" written by me on a webpage in order to add IPP
printer.

The "instruction" says, every Windows user should go to download Adobe
PostScript print driver from http://xxx.adobe.com.... and install the
PostScript driver, when prompted for priner PPD file, they should
download the PPD files I offered to them through an URI and use that PPD
file. And then it's done. Instead of distributing a lot of print
drivers, I distribute generic Adobe Postscript driver and offer
different PPD files.

the way I offer PPD file is very simple: I simply set up a web server
which take /etc/cups/ppd as DocumentRoot and enable Index feature of
webserver.

And then I start to think, why not make this process more clear by
offering such a feature in CUPS:
1) when a Windows user visite cups Printer URI, a page is displaed with
printer name, moduel and a lot of buttons like "Print Test Page" etc,
the next release of cups can offer a button called "download PPD";
2) add a prompt text right below this webpage that Windows user should
download the generic postscript driver from (fill adobe postscript
driver's download URI) and then download PPD using the link above;

This way, once the cups printer server is set up, the administrators
will no longer need to prepare windows driver for the end users, the end
users shall be able to follow instructions on the webpage of printer URI
and set up their printer properly.

I know this only works for Postscript compatible printer but I think
this is a nice idea beause it makes cups administrator live a simple
life and more people prefer cups because this solution is easy and
simple for both Windows user and Linux users.

How do you think?