Here's how to get cups up and functional on gentoo.  Note that cups
has an lpd-daemon interface that allows you to route and query print
via the normal lpr, lpq, lpstat, etc. methods.  For this to word,
(x)inetd is required to invoke the appropriate program cups-lpr, etc. 
The cups ebuild really should have a dependancy for (x)inetd, but it
doesn't.  Some programs (Netscape, kde stuff, etc.) don't have any way
to allow you to configure the printing service - lpr is invoked
automatically, so you need the daemon to make this work.  The
gimp-print stuff provides additional printer definition files over and
above the precious few in base cups.

Install packages
--------------------
emerge net-print/cupsd/cups-1.1.9.ebuild
emerge net-print/gimp-print-cups/gimp-print-cups-4.1.1.ebuild
emerge sys-apps/xinetd/xinetd-2.3.3-r6.ebuild

If you are using remote printers, also pick a package from
net-fs/samba (I'm not using samba at present)

Configuration files
------------------------
I'm attaching a copy of my files.  There are other configuration files
for xinetd to support other services that I don't use.  Let me know if
you need them.  I ripped the xinetd configuration from my jblinux 2.2
distro.

/etc/xinetd.conf
/etc/xinetd.d (a directory)
/etc/xinetd.d/cups-lpd
/etc/cups (a directory) (I didn't need to change any of the cups
configuration files)

Init files and runlevel links
---------------------------------
I cloned the /etc/init.d/xinetd script and created /etc/init.d/cupsd
(this is attached)
You need to create the following links to invoke the scripts
	ln -s /etc/init.d/xinetd /etc/runlevels/default/xinetd
        ln -s /etc/init.d/cupsd /etc/runlevels/default/cupsd

Reboot or restart net, and you are in business

Configuring a printer
---------------------------
Once cupsd and xinetd are running, configure your printers from your
favorite guid browser by going to
	http://localhost:631.  If you are not root, you will be prompted for
id and password.

Enjoy,
--- 
Collins Richey
Denver Area
gentoo_rc6 xfce+sylpheed