Re: [Printing-architecture] Automatic printer setup with Printer Applications

[Till Kamppeter <till.kamppeter@gmail.com>]

On 24/02/2021 15:46, Johannes Meixner wrote:
> 
> I like to add that in enterprise environments
> automated printer setup is almost never needed.
>

Yes, that is true.

All about automatic print queue creation with Printer Applications is 
for end-user-oriented desktop distros.

> So nowadays any further efforts for automated printer setup
> could be mostly a waste of time - time that could be better
> spend elsewhere (even if that is just more time for beer ;-)
> 
> The more I think about it the more I like the idea
> to deprectate all printer setup tools and related stuff
> except what CUPS itself provides.
> 
> For the exceptional cases only documentation should be sufficient
> like "when you have 'ACME SpecialPrinter XL' do this and that".
> 

Yes, I am also in favor of deprecating the classic printer setup tool.

Instead, we need the following:

1. A local/network service manager (could be an item of GNOME Control 
Center): Take avahi-discover. It lists a lot of services, local (Avahi 
0.8.x+) and network services, sorted by network interface, then by 
service type. The tool I have in mind should list them in a 
user-friendly way, so that one sees for example a Printer Application, 
shows some property info like printing/scanning/faxout, button to open 
web interface, button to open IPP System Service status/config panel, 
list of printers (and scanners) with properties like size class (A4, A3, 
larger, smaller, ...), color/gray, duplex, ... Also useful entries for 
services which are no Printer Applications (for example your router, no 
need to know its IP, you have a button for its web interface now). All 
info needed by this tool comes from DNS-SD (Avahi on Linux).

2. A "driver finder": A tool which helps you to find the correct Printer 
Application if you have Acme LaserStar 1000+ and this is not a 
driverless printer. It more or less guides the user through the scheme 
of Michael's posting in this thread.

    Till