User interface for an information-processing system

A method of interfacing with an information processing system having at least one workstation in which a processor unit, a screen, and an operator-control device are operatively connected;

• a plurality of printers, each provided with a control unit;
• and a digital network to which the workstation and the printers are operatively connected, the method comprising:
• providing the workstation with a program personalized for a specific user for communication with at least one of the printers for sending print jobs to the printer and calling up or receiving status information from the printer,
• wherein said program includes
• collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of the specific user at a predetermined plurality of the printers;
• updating an actualized list of the print jobs of the specific user;
• and
• presenting at the workstation screen the actualized list of print jobs of the specific user, including, for each print job, at least an identification of the printer in which that print job is processed.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a computer-usable medium including computer-readable program code means, embodied therein, for causing a workstation having a processing unit, a screen, and an operator-control device to perform a method of communicating with at least one of a plurality of printers having a control unit and operatively connected to the workstation via a digital network, for sending print jobs to the printer and for calling up or receiving status information from the printer, the computer-readable program code means including
• computer-readable program code means for collecting information concerning the status of print jobs of a specific user at a predetermined plurality of the printers;
• computer-readable program code means for updating an actualized list of the print jobs of the specific user;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for presenting at the workstation screen the actualized list of print jobs of the specific user, including, for each print job, at least an identification of the printer in which that print job is processed.