A technique for carrying out distributed printing from a general-purpose application program. An application program generates print data and issues a print command. A virtual printer driver receives the print command and returns performance information with regard to performances of a virtual printer to the application program. The application program converts print data into data suitable for the virtual printer based on the performance information and transmits the converted print data to the virtual printer driver. The virtual printer driver stores the input print data in the form of an intermediate print file into an HDD. A distributed printing utility reads the intermediate print file, allocates intermediate print data in the intermediate print file to respective printers according to a distributed form set in a dialog box, and outputs the print data in a distributive manner to real printer drivers provided for the respective printers based on the allocation.