Bug#431725: libgnomeprint2.2-0 Recommends: cupsys, removes lpr(ng).

[s. keeling]

Incoming from Sven Arvidsson:
> On Wed, 2007-07-04 at 08:20 -0600, s. keeling wrote:
> > lprng is installed, yet libgnomeprint refuses to use it and drags in
> > CUPS to replace it, which is exactly what I wanted to avoid.
> > 
> > linuxprinting.org says I should be able to use any spooler with my
> > printer.  apt* (or aptitude, at least) appears to think otherwise.
> 
> Hi,

H Sven.  Thanks for the reply.

> AFAICT libgnomeprint only recommends cupsys and you should have no
> problem not installing it or removing it? CUPS is the best option for
> most users and a sensible default.

My question is, why doesn't it recommend "cupsys | approved_spooler"
or something?  Perhaps CUPS is the best default to accomodate most
users, but what about the rest of us who do have a preference, and want
instead to use lpr(ng), et al?  linuxprinting.org says we should have
no trouble that way.  apt* thinks otherwise.

Try it yourself sometime.  Do a basic install de-selecting "Desktop
Environment", install lpr(ng), then see what happens when you try to
get printing working.  Damned near everything you do tries to clobber
lpr(ng) with CUPS.  Removing CUPS then tries to blow away far too many
things it's related to.  Begging your pardon, but this is "viral"
behaviour, which I'd prefer to just not even begin to have to deal
with.  The farther CUPS (and its dependencies & etc) are from my
system, the happier I'll be.  My /etc/printcap:

lp0|To Your Left: \
    :lp=/dev/lp0: \
    :force_localhost: \
    :if=/usr/bin/foomatic-rip: \
    :ppd=/usr/local/ppd/Epson-Stylus_Photo_870-Stp870p.upp.ppd: \
    :sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp: \
    :mx#0:sh:

That is not rocket science.  If Debian (or linuxprinting.org) tells me
where I can find the ppd for my printer, the rest is child's play.

The Debian package management system is making this far more difficult
than it has to be.  Please consider that "meta-tag" (?) thing I
mentioned above: "cupsys | approved_spooler" as "Recommends:".
I'll be happy to help with the fallout in d-u that it causes.  :-)

Have a great week (at least! :-), and thanks for your efforts.


-- 
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(*)                                         Please don't Cc: me.
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