Abstract: A machine for the graphic arts industry, such as a printing press, includes an operator control device having a display device and an input device. Auxiliary devices have their own dedicated control for communicating with the operator control device over an electronic communication network. The auxiliary devices send signals over the electronic communication network to the operator control device. The auxiliary devices have a user interface displayable on the display device and the signals contain a network address from which the user interface is accessible.

Abstract: A method for establishing a data connection and for transmitting data from a first computing unit to a second computing unit, includes, in the first computing unit, selecting and reading out from a database an address of the second computing unit in a selection program; establishing a connection with the address of the second computing unit; initially performing a version comparison between the first and the second computing units with respect to an employed communications protocol; and, after the communications protocol is determined, establishing a data connection for transmitting data; and a computing unit with a memory for performing the method.