Printing from a laptop at Van Pelt? Not just a dream

The days of students sending files to themselves and waiting in line for computers at Van Pelt may finally be over.

Information Systems and Computing is working on configuring a wireless network that would allow students to print directly from their personal computers to Penn-networked printers in libraries and academic buildings.

Doug Smullens, a library computing support specialist, said the project evolved from student concerns about campus printing policies. Developments in wireless technology and printing software have now made it possible to address that concern, he said.

No date has been set for the service's launch, said John MacDermott, ISC director for instructional technology, though officials hope to have the project completed this semester.

Students will be able to download a copy of Uniprint software from each location's computing Web site, which includes both the application that allows for interaction with the school's printer system, as well as the drivers for every printer managed by that site, MacDermott said.

Students can then hit the "Print" button, and - no matter where they are on Penn's campus - choose what printer they want to print to, so long as they have that printer's download package.

Students will then have two hours to go to that printing location and release the job by swiping their PennCard and identifying their documents on the print queue. Printing from school printers will still charge a student's PennCash account.

College senior Rafaela Zuidema said the new system would save her a lot of time.

"Right now, I have to come all the way [to Van Pelt], and sometimes the computers are full and sometimes they're really slow," she said. "But this would speed things up a lot."

MacDermott said ISC is working to make the system uniform across campus by using the same software and standardizing printer names and prices.

Still, every school will continue to manage its own printers.

Although the new service had been scheduled for release before the start of the semester, a miscommunication between the schools put the initiative behind schedule.

"We discovered right at the end of August that Wharton actually had a more recent version of the software running, meaning if you installed that version, none of the other locations' printers would work," MacDermott said. "And we really didn't want to start promoting this when we knew it wouldn't work."

David Comroe, the technical director of Wharton computing, said the mix-up in software versions was partially due to the fact that Wharton was the last school to install the University's current printing software. It was only after Wharton installed the software that the mismatch was discovered.

MacDermott speculated that Wharton, the School of Arts and Sciences and Van Pelt Library might have the print network running first, with the Nursing and Engineering schools coming in later.

Julian Urrutia, a College senior, said he was concerned that the new system would result in long print queues to sort through. However, he said that he was "all for" the new system.

Brian Peterson, director of residential computing labs, said the College Houses will implement a similar pilot printing system in a few locations this semester.

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