Google Cloud Print #2

[SalesServiceGuy]

My previous post seems corrupted with no option to reply:

"I have completed my first install of Google Cloud print with a new Toshiba copier with a booklet making finisher and 10 ChromeBooks. I used the latest version app that Toshiba provides to install on the copier via the web browser.

I can print A-Ok but have noticed at the bottom of the Advanced options tab, there are very few choices excluding things like secure print, Dept Codes and finishing.

Is the purpose of Google Cloud no more than basic print function like Orientation, paper size, black/color, etc?"

[SalesServiceGuy]

I think Toshiba does not have many installs of Google Cloud Print (GCP) and I am breaking some waves as far back as Japan.

Using FW1060 and Toshiba's GCP V1.3.2 app, unfortunately print jobs drops random characters.

There is a patch called V1060D not yet published that resolves this on e5005AC series.

At the end of the day, GCP from any copier vendor is not intended for corporate printing. It is mostly intended for large numbers of ChromeBooks to print with a limited print driver in primarily educational environments because of the low cost of each ChromeBook. It is kind of like Citrix printing with few applications or files installed on the local ChromeBook. If the internet is not working your ChromeBook is dead weight. Things like Private print and Booklet making are not part of GCP feature set at this time.

This install is still not done and evolving.

Another Google Cloud Print suck is setting printing preferences is not obvious and what is obvious is very limited.

[JR2ALTA]

I'm pretty sure it's a basic options. It's not an official "driver".

You'e lucky you got as far as you did. I've installed a few and always had to find a Windows PC, log into user's Chrome browser and register the printer there. Could never do it using the Chromebook alone.

[PacketSniffer]

I think Toshiba does not have many installs of Google Cloud Print (GCP) and I am breaking some waves as far back as Japan.

Using FW1060 and Toshiba's GCP V1.3.2 app, unfortunately print jobs drops random characters.

There is a patch called V1060D not yet published that resolves this on e5005AC series.

At the end of the day, GCP from any copier vendor is not intended for corporate printing. It is mostly intended for large numbers of ChromeBooks to print with a limited print driver in primarily educational environments because of the low cost of each ChromeBook. It is kind of like Citrix printing with few applications or files installed on the local ChromeBook. If the internet is not working your ChromeBook is dead weight. Things like Private print and Booklet making are not part of GCP feature set at this time.

This install is still not done and evolving.

Another Google Cloud Print suck is setting printing preferences is not obvious and what is obvious is very limited.

Yes, with 'GCP Ready' printing functionality is very basic as you are relying on Google to process the job, The most functionality I've seen is with Ricoh's GCP Java App that is still very basic but does allow User Code Auth. support and Locked Print, which is better than most vendors. This is a paid for App, though.
Alternatively if you want improved funtionality such as different queues for mono, colour, duplex, etc there is a Chromebook Store app called IPP/CUPS that can acheive this if pointed at a Linux CUPS server (this is nearer to what Google call Classic Printing but doesn't require your 'print server' to be logged into Google via Chrome to be able to work) or you can use the same app to print direct over a LAN to printers that support the required protocols of the app.

[SalesServiceGuy]

I was thinking about buying an inexpensive $229.00 ChromeBook to help my understanding of the product when not at the customer location but many of the reviews of these devices are mostly from students and and generally not very favorable.

A good $449.00 ChromeBook with decent reviews seem to be about the same price as a low end Windows laptop. I asked the IT Manager about why he choose ChromeBooks over a Windows based product and he went on about viruses and hacking for several minutes. Surely with some inventiveness you could turn a Windows laptop into a Citrix like device.

With something like Office 365 where all of the apps are subscription based and secured in the cloud, I did not want to argue with him. He is the customer afterall.

I am of the mindset that ChromeBooks are not well suited to be your primary computing device in the business world.

[PacketSniffer]

I was thinking about buying an inexpensive $229.00 ChromeBook to help my understanding of the product when not at the customer location but many of the reviews of these devices are mostly from students and and generally not very favorable.

A good $449.00 ChromeBook with decent reviews seem to be about the same price as a low end Windows laptop. I asked the IT Manager about why he choose ChromeBooks over a Windows based product and he went on about viruses and hacking for several minutes. Surely with some inventiveness you could turn a Windows laptop into a Citrix like device.

With something like Office 365 where all of the apps are subscription based and secured in the cloud, I did not want to argue with him. He is the customer afterall.

I am of the mindset that ChromeBooks are not well suited to be your primary computing device in the business world.

Before you go spending any money I would recommend trying 'Cloud Ready' OS which is a version of Chrome OS that can be installed on a PC/Laptop.
I tried it a year or two ago on a rather old netbook but the hardware wasn't really up to it and ran too slow for me to do much testing with it. Keep meaning to try it again, won't run as a VM though from what I recall..

For testing GCP though you just need Chrome Browser installed on any OS that supports Chrome (pretty much everything).

I've had a few corp customers test Chromebooks but it seems only the IT department folk like them, never seem to make it through UAT. Schools love them though.

[SalesServiceGuy]

I think you are referring to something like Chromium.

When I googled "printing from Chromium", I found this phrase:

"Windows or Mac computer to act as the proxy email/print server. It should be always left on and connected to the classic printer".

This is the current work around solution on a Mac that the customer has deployed. The users are seeing a much broader selection of print features under Advanced Settings. They are not nearly as well laid out as a Windows or Mac driver but at least things like Private Print and Booklet making are now options.

How to access this features is not obvious and I have had to create a cheat sheet for the user by myself playing with the GCP driver and writing it down.

How preferences are set is still a mystery.

For example, the default is A4 paper. The copier auto pushes the job onto LT paper.