Abstract: A method of printing an image comprises sending a data stream representing the image to a printer driver, generating a stream of print instructions at the printer driver, forwarding the stream of print instructions to a printer, and printing the image in accordance with the print instructions. The data stream or stream of print instructions is intercepted and processed so that the printer uses less ink to print the image than it would if the processing was not performed.

Abstract: A printing system is described in which a font manger monitors print jobs for execution by a printer having a memory operable to store font data. The font manger is arranged to identify fonts in a print job to be executed by the printer for which font data is not already stored in the memory of the printer; and cause font data corresponding to the identified fonts to be downloaded and stored in the printer memory for use in executing subsequent print jobs. In this way by having a computer generate print jobs which only include font data which is not already present in the memory of a printer the size of print jobs can be reduced thereby increasing the speed with which such print jobs can be generated and transmitted to a printer. The font manger may be provided either on the printer or within the computer or as part of a printer server connected to the printer and the computer via a communications network.