The process of temporarily storing print jobs on a computer’s hard drive or in memory before they are sent to a printer is referred to as spooling. This function allows the computer user to continue working on other tasks without waiting for the printer to finish the current job. For example, several documents can be sent to the printer in quick succession, and the system will queue them up, printing each one in turn without interrupting the user’s workflow.
This process offers significant benefits, enhancing both efficiency and productivity. It prevents bottlenecks by allowing the computer to handle printing in the background. Historically, spooling systems were developed to address the speed disparity between processing units and printing devices. Without this buffer, computers would be idled during the printing process, leading to considerable time wastage.
