We propose and consider a secure printing system for the distributed printing of documents and images over the World Wide Web. The main feature of the system is that it allows previewing and printing of selected documents and images, where only a certain number of hardcopies can be generated based on an agreed payment. The security of the system resides on an aggregate of communication protocols, smartcard technologies, and cryptographic algorithms. The system prevents eavesdropping in that people who intercept the communication cannot generate copies of the document.