Re: [h-e-w] Windows Emacs using Window print routines

[Paul Kinnucan]

Peter Kaiser writes:
 > > Emacs can print fine through any printing program that you want to
 > > use.  As far as plain functionality goes (as opposed to convenience
 > > while installing), it doesn't need to incorporate a new incompatible
 > > and non-portable printing module.
 > 
 > Actually, I think the original poster's point is well taken.  Emacs already 
 > has functions on Windows 
 > that are absent on other platforms, and that's a perfectly appropriate 
 > approach to handle things 
 > that people want to do on every platform, but which the platforms handle 
 > differently.  Basic 
 > printing is one such thing, and should be included in GNU Emacs.  This isn't 
 > at all contradictory, 
 > and it makes just as much sense as having GNU Emacs use Windows displays 
 > under Windows.  Or are 
 > there ancient purists who think we should still be using VT100 terminal 
 > emulation within command 
 > windows?
 > 
 > GNU Emacs should be able to print simply, just like, for instance, Windows 
 > Notepad: drop down a menu 
 > and select "Print", and if a default printer is defined, the contents of the 
 > buffer -- or a region 
 > -- are printed.  (Or, of course, invoke the equivalent function 
 > programmatically or with M-x.)  Why 
 > must I install more software (printfile, lpr, whatever) to do something for 
 > which Windows provides a 
 > direct interface?  That's how it works on Unix/Linux; it just happens that 
 > there, the interface is 
 > *normally* a separate spooler program (e.g., lpr).  That's the Unix way.  
 > The Windows way is through 
 > the interface that's an integral part of Windows.
 > 
 > Emacs should handle printing the Unix way on Unix, the Windows way on 
 > Windows.  Printing is 
 > extremely basic functionality: the user shouldn't have to install additional 
 > software simply to 
 > print things.  This has been a stark omission in GNU Emacs for years, and it 
 > should be rectified.
 > 

I completely agree.

Paul