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Author: Dr. Nikolaus Klepp
Date:  
To: dng
Subject: Re: [DNG] printing in a D-Bus free system
Am Mittwoch, 14. März 2018 schrieb Menelaos Maglis:
> > Can't ask users about such
> tradeoffs, they will be annoyed and won't be able to answer. These days you
> can ask the printer via d-bus. The printer knows more about itself than its
> users know about it.
>
> D-Bus is used for communication between processes. So the configuration and operation of a printer is split between several different components, which use D-Bus to communicate with each other.
>
> I question this architecture. Why should an application need a system bus to pass messages between its own components? CUPS is not using D-Bus and is able to print to other printers; only HPLIP uses D-bus, so far as I am aware. Why not keep using the same method/interfaces that are proven for decades? What is the benefit? How are printers from other manufacturers supported?
>
> Above architecture /may/ be beneficial to a number of use cases. E.g. interactive desktop users that want also a simple GUI tool in an integrated desktop environment. Imposing a hard dependency on an additional component (D-Bus) may not server other use cases well or at all if they cannot use D-Bus.
>
> So I am left with below choices:
>
> * Accept no printing
> * Accept HPLIP+D-Bus if possible
> * Fork and change HPLIP or develop something new to do the job, if I have the abilities/motivation.
>
> At least this is an option in free software world.


Well, HP printers suffer from planed oobsolescence, so you can sit out the problem. Just don't replace a HP by an other HP ...

nik


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