PCL

The language (Printer Command Language) arrived with the first HP LaserJet in 1984 and was built on short escape sequences — character combinations the printer reads as commands for fonts, margins and graphics rather than text to print. Unlike PostScript, which is a full programming language, PCL is deliberately simpler and easier for the printer to process, which made it cheaper to build in.

PCL became the de facto standard for office printers through the 1990s; nearly every driver could speak it. Later versions (PCL 5, PCL 6/XL) added scalable fonts and a more object-based model. Adobe's rival, by contrast, won the publishing world, where exact typography mattered more than speed.