[Wolves] Re: Sharing a printer without a computer

[Wayne Morris]

Stuart Langridge wrote:
>>> As an extra wrinkle...the printer does not have Linux drivers.
>>>
>>>       
>> That isn't a wrinkle. That's a huge great gaping crevasse with visible
>> stratification and lava at the bottom.
>>     
>
> Thought it might be. :-)
>
>   
>> You might be better off using a
>> micro or nano-itx machine as a rip for this, like they do with large
>> format printers. It's not cheap though, especially because you will need
>> a legitimate licence for windows on it.... although, thinking about it,
>> win98 should be ok. You wouldn't *technically* be getting rid of the pc,
>> but you would end up with a rip that is about 18cm x18cm, uses 30watts
>> of electricity and has no moving parts.
>>     
>
> TBH, that'd be fine; that's "a small box that plugs into the printer
> and the network" just as requested. What's the absolute minimum spec I
> could build such a machine, what bits would I need, and where would I
> get them? I don't know much about this...
>
> --
If you want to go computer rather than Jetdirect, then get an old laptop 
- that would be small and don't need a very modern spec and thus
should be very cheap. In fact, since one of the main causes of failures 
in laptops is the screen, you should be able to pick up a laptop with 
knackered screen
very cheap - attach a monitor whilst you get it working, then hide the 
laptop under the printer desk.