Printer Setup (11.3.1.1.1)

[Peter Pentchev]

On Tue, Oct 28, 2003 at 09:23:05AM +0100, Marc Fonvieille wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 28, 2003 at 05:31:47AM +0100, Devon H. O'Dell wrote:
> > In this section there's the text:
> > In general, serial interfaces are slower than parallel interfaces. 
> > Parallel interfaces usually offer just one-way communication (computer 
> > to printer) while serial gives you two-way. Many newer parallel ports 
> > and printers can communicate in both directions under FreeBSD when a 
> > IEEE1284 compliant cable is used.
> > 
> > Shouldn't the second sentence s/serial/parallel/ s/Parallel/serial/ ?
> >
> 
> Ok, I fixed it in revision 1.79 of the chapter, Thanks!

Errrr... I'm not sure it needed fixing :)  Rather, IMHO rev. 1.79 might
need to be reverted.

Historically, parallel ports did indeed offer only one-way
communication: the computer sent data to the printer, and that was it.
Then things like EPP (the extended printer port) interface and friends
were developed, and the parallel port grew two-way communication, too -
this is exactly what the *last* sentence is talking about (EPP and ECP
were standardized in IEEE 1284, http://www.fapo.com/ieee1284.htm for
more info).

Serial port communications have always been two-way, AFAIK, albeit some
of them were just half-duplex, so only one side could talk at a time.

Thus, I think the text was correct as it was, before rev. 1.79 -
parallel ports were once only capable of one-way communication, but with
IEEE 1284 (EPP, ECP) they can do two-way now, while serial ports have
always been capable of two-way communication.

G'luck,
Peter

-- 
Peter Pentchev	roam at ringlet.net    roam at sbnd.net    roam at FreeBSD.org
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