Printer setup tools: Automatically choose the correct backend

Michael Sweet mike at easysw.com
Thu Jun 19 15:19:35 PDT 2008


Till Kamppeter wrote:
> ...
> What do you think about this PPD extension? This should finally allow to 
> set up printers completely automatically and non-interactively. This 
> should allow Plug'n'Print in all cases and also with multi-function 
> devices.

I think it would lead to an unending stream of compatibility and
other problems.

There is no reason for having multiple backends that do the same
thing.  HP's backend is unnecessary once we use libusb instead of
the Linux USB printer character device, and that is going to happen
in CUPS 1.4 (and if I understood correctly is already used by several
Linux distros).  For network printer, HP should be using the socket
backend.  The canon and epson backends have been removed from
Gutenprint.  There should be no "hal" backend, either.

In short, once you get rid of the extra unnecessary backends, there
is no problem selecting the "right" backend for a PPD.  Futhermore,
a fundamental design goal of CUPS is that a given CUPS driver MUST
work with ANY backend.  Drivers that do not work with all backends
are by definition broken.

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com




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