Conceptually, PPA resembles other high-performance architectures such as Microsoft Windows Printing System and Adobe Print Gear. Windows 2000 does support PPA devices. In the printer, the conversion of the PCL description into a bitmap is eliminated. Instead, in the PPA architecture there is only one conversion from GDI straight to a bitmap. To better understand the PPA architecture, it is necessary to review how a PCL and PPA device prints.
User chooses to print.
Application spools high-level GDI description of printed page to hard drive. Text converted to rasters. Rasters are converted into Printer sweeps formatted for Print Cartridges. Print sweeps are sent out to the print head and ink is fired, resulting in a printed page. User chooses to print.