[cups.bugs] Re: [MOD] STR #1524: SERVERBIN hard-codedto/usr/lib/cups (should be /usr/lib64/cups on 64-bit Linux)

[Michael Sweet]

Klaus Singvogel wrote:
> Michael Sweet wrote:
>> Klaus Singvogel wrote:
>>> Michael Sweet wrote:
>>> [...]
>>> SUSE will only install into /usr/lib64, and will NOT install the
>>> symlink from /usr/lib64/cups to /usr/lib/cups. Otherwise I fear, we
>>> break the FHS standard (64bit binaries are accessable under /usr/lib).
>> This is one of the reasons we find that SuSE is no longer usable for
>> commercial development/support.  You need to be more ISV friendly if
>> you want to promote larger acceptance of Linux!
>>
>> The FHS does not specify any of this.  The *LSB* does not prevent
>> 64-bit object files from being in subdirectories in /usr/lib, only
>> 64-bit object files *in* /usr/lib, and only for the x86_64
>> architecture (there are different rules for different archs...)
> 
> Sorry, but I read different:
> 
>    http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#LIB64
>    [...] AMD64 must place 64-bit libraries in /lib64, and 32-bit
>    libraries in /lib.

*Libraries*.

Everything in /usr/lib/cups is *programs*, and in many cases
*scripts*.

>> The problem with mixed-mode architectures is that you can never
>> know whether a developer will provide 32-bit or 64-bit binaries.
>> If you only install in /usr/lib64/cups, then 32-bit binaries will
>> not work out-of-the-box - they will not be seen by CUPS, and you
>> risk having a well-meaning user reconfigure to use /usr/lib/cups
>> and break all printing.
> 
> Yes, that's why we want 64-bit AMD64 binaries, why we want IA64
> binaries, why we want S390 binaries, why we want PPC, PPC64, ...
> binaries.
> 
> Alternatively they should just release their software as OpenSource,
> and we will do this support (and vendors: please, release all parts as
> OpenSource, even the libraries).

You can either alienate or befriend commercial developers.  Right now
you are alienating them.

> But I fear printer vendors will never understand that we have Linux
> for different platforms. And if you give them a temporary solution to
> use 32-bit binaries on the AMD64, it will be used for ever.

Perhaps, but if that is your attitude then it would make more sense
to put 64-bit in /usr/lib and force users to upgrade like Debian did.

> ...
> HP isn't a small company, and they have a large spectrum of printers.
> HP can provide source code, why not others?

HP owns a lot of its IP, others license it.

Even so, the open source drivers don't support all HP printers or
modes, so even HP is "holding back"...

Also, many vendors simply do not have the resources to develop
drivers or documentation for third-parties, so they outsource it.
The results are, simply put, not usually suitable for public
consumption (as open source).

> ...
> BTW: I'm sorry, but what does HSVs mean? I didn't find a fitting
> explanation in wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSV

Sorry, I meant IHV (Independent Hardware Vendor).

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com
Internet Printing and Document Software          http://www.easysw.com