Printing Trends in Linux (O'ReillyNet)

Printing Trends in Linux (O'ReillyNet)

Posted Sep 21, 2007 4:04 UTC (Fri) by dkite (guest, #4577)
In reply to: Printing Trends in Linux (O'ReillyNet) by danielhedblom
Parent article: Printing Trends in Linux (O'ReillyNet)

Have you any experience with binary printer drivers?

I ran a Samsung laser printer for a while. Nice printer, sucky drivers.
The driver system attempted to replace packages already installed with
their particular version of Cups that was tested and configured for their
printer. After I ditched it they introduced a security bug with their
sloppy setup. Everything would work until I updated my distro. A bad
situation, especially since it was during the time when Cups 2.x was
starting to be used. Eventually the KDE packages became dependant on v2.0
while the printer drivers used 1.2?. I got rid of the printer right about
then.

The reality is that the desktop especially will be in major flux for the
forseeable future. For good reason, since it isn't quite finished yet. To
try to lock down something now is foolish at worse, misguided at best.
This isn't zealotry. The distro's I use have a well established and
reliable means of keeping things working. I refuse to purchase a printer
from someone who refuses to work within the maintenance and update
system.

Derek

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