Ubuntu printer setup handles just about any sort of local or network
printing setup. The hard part would be to somehow force microsoft
windows to make it's printer accessible to network clients.

It is already accessible (at least I can see it from ubie).

So what's the problem??????????????????

OK, so on the ubuntu side, you go to system-> administration->printing
and what happens?

new window= "printing - localhost"|I click "Add"

new window= "new printer - Select Device"
Other (empty)
Network Printer
Find Network Printer
---------------------
App/Socket/HP JetDirect
Internet Printing Protocol (ipp)
LPD/LPR Host or Printer
Windows Printer via Samba
...
I click Windows Printer via Samba & Browse

new window= "SMB Browser"
lists 1 line item:
Share=WORKGROUP
Comment=ART-VBOX-UBIE1010 (my guest vm name)

Options (buttons):
REFRESH CANCEL OK (OK is not enabled!)

Suggestions/questions?

That's really odd. That looks like the point at which I can click the
button and then print a test page. I've set up ubuntu printing to remote
network attached printers, and to macs for years now with nary a problem.

That said, there are some differences in what you and I have tried to
do, because I don't have any microsoft windows PCs to test with, I
always run linux on the physical machine. and if I ever run microsoft
windows, it's in a virtual machine, so our setups are the inverse of
each other.

Any chance it could be some sort of microft windows firewall or
anti-virus setting? or maybe a problem with running ubuntu in a
virtualbox session...

I fixed it. I had to enter the Vista Host name to search for the network
printer.