Abstract: A network printing system is available to a large population of users submitting jobs thereto at random times. The system includes a first decomposer facility, such as for PostScript.TM. or PDF interpretation, and a second decomposer facility, such as for PCL interpretation. The first decomposer facility is capable of parallel interpretation of multiple page images within a job, while the second decomposer facility may not be. A buffer manager arbitrates the operation of the decomposer facilities, so that page images of different page description languages or other image formats are processed optimally.

Abstract: An automatic flexible disk loader/copier apparatus includes a disk drive for reading data from and writing data onto flexible disks; an automatic mechanical loader for feeding disks from an input hopper into the disk drive and for discharging disks from the disk drive; a selectable format flexible disk controller which is dynamically reprogrammable to vary the format of the data written to the disks; and a computer which responds to the presence of write-protect indicators on the disks in the disk drive to load format, data and control information from the disks and which responds to the absence of write-protection indicators on the disks in the disk drive to write format and data to the disks.