Windows NT is the first operating system that truly supports remote printing. There is no need to manually install a printer driver on the local workstation before printing with Windows NT. For Windows NT users, printer resources seem to be provided automatically from each application, and the Windows NT printing model allows users to simply "point and print."
How Windows NT prints a document is somewhat more complicated than the user's "point and print" perspective. The real power of the Windows NT printing model is in the components transparent to the user.
This chapter starts by clarifying the terminology used in Windows NT printing. Next are sections on subjects you should understand before exploring the Windows NT printing model, such as tips on using Print Manager to successfully perform certain tasks, and discussions of Windows NT printer drivers and print job data types. Next is an explanation of what each component of the printing model does, followed by descriptions of the flow of control through this model in several common situations. Finally, the chapter includes information about managing security and manipulating forms on a print server, and a question-and-answer section.