PyKota : The print quota and accounting software

Jérôme Alet

Conseil Internet & Logiciels Libres

Long term goals

Become the Market Leader for *nix like systems

Support all printing systems

Support all databases

Be the most versatile software of its kind

Clients' needs

Control and limit print usage

Charge for printing

Optimize the deployment of printers

Reduce costs : ink, paper, hardware...

Minimize complaints

Integrate with existing printing systems and databases

Answering the needs

Supports CUPS and LPRng

Supports the vast majority of entreprise printers via hardware (SNMP, PJL, Appletalk...) and software (PS, PCL...) accounting

Entirely configurable, accepts plugins at every « strategic » point

Integrates transparently with existing LDAP directories

Supports RDBMS for very large sites

Costs

Free Software, GNU GPL licensed

Available through CVS for no fee

Basic 20 US$ fee for yearly subscription to « Official » packages : tarballs, rpms... « Official » packages are GPLed too !

Subscription includes priority email support + HTML and PDF documentation (vs DocBook SGML sources via CVS)

On site installation available from author

Support contracts available from 3rd parties

Strengths

Already the most versatile Print Quota solution for *nix and possibly all systems

i18n : en, fr, br, pt, es, se, it...

LDAP integration and RDBMS when performance matters

Hardware accounting : no problems with paper jams

Strong technical support : Mailing Lists, IRC, email...

Weaknesses

Incomplete web interface : only reports for now, no quota management

Basic reports => For complex reports use OpenOffice.org with ODBC driver

Incomplete documentation, in english only

Complex configuration for some printers

2004-06-13T23:04:12