CUPS isn't extra software in my opinions.
CUPS is a PITA, but it may nevertheless be the "least bad"
solution if one is stuck with a junk printer.
i really have nicer things to do that fighting with winprinter, when i can
get normal printer for really low price.
Decent, network-capable, PostScript printers do not have to be
costly. I bought a Samsung ML-2571N at Fry's for something like
$60(US) a year or two ago. All I had to do was plug it into the
network, add its IP address to /etc/hosts, add a suitable entry
to /etc/printcap, and lpr "just works". No need to bother with
CUPS.
postscript printers are easiest, but PCL as not much more difficult, just
write simple filter using ghostscript.
Even not write - just modify existing examples like below
#!/bin/sh
#
# ifhp - Print Ghostscript-simulated PostScript on a DesJet 500
# Installed in /usr/local/libexec/hpif
#
# Treat LF as CR+LF:
#
printf "\033&k2G" || exit 2
#
# Read first two characters of the file
#
read first_line
first_two_chars=`expr "$first_line" : '\(..\)'`
if [ "$first_two_chars" = "%!" ]; then
#
# It is PostScript; use Ghostscript to scan-convert and print it
#
/usr/local/bin/gs -dSAFER -dNOPAUSE -q -sPAPERSIZE=a4 -sDEVICE=ljet4
-sOutputFile=- - \
&& exit 0
else
#
# Plain text or HP/PCL, so just print it directly; print a form
# at the end to eject the last page.
#
echo "$first_line" && cat && printf "\f" && exit 0
fi
exit 2
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