Job hold and release from printer front panel

[John A. Murdie]

Many sites use a 'job hold and release from printer front panel' system - usually with a touch-sensitive panel, part of the printer, which allows the user to select their job or jobs for release and confirm their identity with a password. (A PIN is just something else to remember, saves little typing time, and is not as secure when security matters.) As far as I know, this is usually implemented by queuing the job to the printer's hard disc with a printer-specific 'hold job' attribute. The printer is configured to query a site directory to confirm the user's identity before printing the document from the copy held on disc. (There is then job management on such printers to consider e.g. can jobs be moved to another printer - how long are jobs held before being deleted - will the user be informed of this etc. etc.)

Of course, such a distributed implementation of job release isn't quite as flexible or as easily managed as a centralised one in which the printer is merely a terminal to a central print system which can be commanded to send the job to the printer from which it is released. With CUPS' current functionality, a printer (or a little unit placed next to it) with a web browser would be sufficient. One might even think of a system which permitted non-secure jobs to be released quickly without a password. (If choice was allowed, it would be the user's responsibility at spool time to choose from: i) immediate printing; ii) hold job for non-secure release or iii) hold job for secure release.) Purchased inexpensive Linux Single-Board Computers (or cast-off PCs) could be placed next to even the dumbest of printers to implement a CUPS-based job-release system, even now.

I've raised some points for discussion previously:
http://www.cups.org/newsgroups.php?gcups.general+v:27511

Has anyone experience of such a system that they are willing to describe?

John A. Murdie