* Supports all OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. No drivers needed. Windows-on-ARM and Apple M1/2/3/4 also supported.
* Supports the majority of printers released before ≈2018
* Profit from sold devices is shared between CUPS, SANE, AirSane open-source printing and scanning projects
* Surplus and donations are accumulated to improve current open-source drivers and develop new ones
All of this is bundled in a retail-like device, with simple web interface[1][2]. No tinkering and no DIY required, it's safe to plug off the power cord every time, and you can do factory reset.
The print server is secure by default: it conforms to most of the IoT Device Security Specification 1.0[3] best practices, has built-in firewall to ensure LAN-only operation, and does not include anti-consumer features.
All devices come with technical support, where I act as a middleman between all the involved projects and printer drivers. If there's a bug, I first try to debug the issue remotely, and if it's not possible, end up buying the same printer and debug it until the issue is resolved. All the fixes made during the development are contributed back to the origin projects, and there were many bugs fixed: almost every package has additional patches compared to original Debian 12 disto state.
[1]: https://printserver.ink/webface-main.png
[2]: https://printserver.ink/webface-other.png
[3]: https://csa-iot.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/23-80986-013-...
P.S. Brother printer lovers, the latest Brother L2800dw (2024) laser comes with the chipped cartridge, which you can't refill and reset forever anymore. The printer allows to continue printing with an "empty" cartridge with a special menu item, but it does so only to fixed amount of pages, and then stops. It doesn't allow to use cartridges without chips.
I had to do something similar to get an old Epson scanner to work. It astonished me that there are no drivers for it on the Epson website, no generic or legacy Windows drivers. And this was a serious hum-dinger of a scanner which is still much better than a brand new Epson because, shockingly, it's really hard to buy a decent scanner these days. They're ludicrously badly made unless you spend many thousands. Most of the high end ones are aimed at office scanning, with automatic page feed and high throughout etc. If you're an artist, you're screwed.
Obviously the scanner works on Linux, but my wife is the one who needs to use it. So I hacked together a Raspberry Pi, a heavily customised PHPSane and an ancient Apple iPad (that is similarly unsupported, with almost no software available in the store). The pi boots in about 5 seconds. Now anyone on the house WiFi can scan over the network or walk right up and use the web interface via the iPad which is mounted beside the scanner.
What was really enjoyable about the project was that I got to use one of my old Pis and a tablet that was heading for e-waste.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fw7bZoPyVU
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/openairscan/id1663611384
It doesn't have 100% compatibility with driverless scanning, but it's trying. If you share your scanner using AirSane on the Raspberry, it may work.
Strange that iOS doesn't have native scanning capabilities, only printing via AirPrint.
(I use the Pi with thermal 4x6 label printers that use either ZPL or variant thereof, to access them either by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.)
https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/1017
I'd love to send print jobs to a "non-physical" printer that any OS (and/or Adobe DC Reader) sees as a "completely legit, real, physical printer".
In other words, not just the "Print to PDF" option/dialog on the OS. Then after "printing", have a valid PDF appear on that device's target storage itself (eMMC/SD Card/SMB share...)?
Also, I used to use a "PDF printer" in the olden days on Windows which did exactly that, and that was considered a paid, premium product.
IOW, we have these. Both in personal and enterprise flavors, for a long time.
I also first started typing a comment about “PDF printer” software that I used to use on Windows XP back in the day before most programs and before Windows had a native export to PDF via print dialog. (These days I run macOS. So not sure if current Windows has export to PDF at system level when you print from any program. I know Office has built in export to PDF, and I think back in the day Office did not have that.)
I've always hated having printers on my network, because vendor software is absolutely terrible. Completely insecure and open to who-knows-what through automatic updates.
I use a raspberry Pi and it works great even for non-technical family members. Printing from your phone is also really nice.
The functionality is about the same as the vendor printers. But the peace of mind is amazing. 100% assurance that there's nothing weird going on, it's secure, and there's no account and stupid cloud.
These printers are still great! They sturdy and unkillable. And they are supported in the print server :P
I'm thinking on adding more scanning-related functions when I have more buttons and an OLED screen on the print server itself, but haven't thought about printing-related web interface.
Basically, you can print from any old OS as well, such as Windows XP, with a generic driver. You'll have to add the printer manually, but it would work.