Test Driving Linux

Configuring Your Printer

If your printer is plugged in and powered on when you boot Move, it should be recognized and set up during the boot process. You know your printer has been detected if you are presented with a window asking you if you want CUPS to be configured to start each time you boot Move. You should answer Yes to this screen and finish booting Move. Once you are in KDE, you should be able to use the printer from any application.

Printing system

CUPS is the Common Unix Printing System, and is the default print system in most distributions of Linux and Mac OS X.

But if you didn't set up your printer during bootup, you can still do so after you are in KDE. To do this, first make sure the printer is connected and powered on. Go to the MandrakeLinux Control Center (K Menu→ Administer your system→ Configure your computer), click the Hardware icon, and then click the Printers icon. This launches a printer detection program that should open up a window telling you which printers it has detected. If it didn't detect your printer, try clicking the Quit button, double-checking your printer connections, and powering the printer off and back on. If it's a USB printer, unplug the USB cable from the computer and reinsert it. Once you've completed this little ritual, click the Printers icon again.

Your printer should now be detected, so click the Yes button. After the computer thinks some more about your printer setup, you'll be presented with a window asking you if the CUPS printing ...