One Year Later - CUPS Admin Still Lacking?

DopeyDad asks: "OK, it was close to a year ago (Eric's site says July 2004, but I'd swear the original rant came earlier last year) that Eric Raymond's tirade on the unfriendly status of configuring the CUPS printing system on Linux was published. Well, I've been struggling with setting up a new laptop and getting it to talk to my print server, using Fedora Core 3, and nothing seems to have changed -- the admin items for adding a printer are exactly as Eric described them back then -- unclear, confusing, and no where near as friendly as their Win* equivalents. Definitely not something I'd expect my Aunt Ethel to be able to figure out. What's going on here? Granted, FC3 is ready to be replaced, but I don't see any CUPS updates for it. Is work being done with CUPS to address Eric's original complaints, or has this issue fallen off the radar?" For those who are still frustrated with the CUPS GUI, how would you improve it?

Hear no...see no...speak no...

[Anonymous Coward]

"For those who are still frustrated with the CUPS GUI, how would you improve it?"

Close our eyes, and pretend the problem doesn't exist.

High level approach:

[Anonymous Coward]

SELECT L.driver
FROM linux_partition.linux_drivers L
INNER JOIN windows_partition.windows_drivers W
ON L.driver_id = W.driver_id;

LACKING!?!?

[FreeLinux]

It's still a great big steaming pile. I never thought it would happen, but from time-to-time I catch myself saying; "Maybe I should go back to lpd" <shudder>

One more rant, whoever it was that was unimaginative enough to come up with the foomatic name should be flogged.

Wonder why?

[MarkGriz]

"OK, it was close to a year ago... that Eric Raymond's tirade on the unfriendly status of configuring the CUPS printing system on Linux was published.... and nothing seems to have changed -- the admin items for adding a printer are exactly as Eric described them back then -- unclear, confusing, and no where near as friendly as their Win* equivalents."

Well, so much for ESR tirades motivating the development of user-friendly software. Anyone else have any ideas?

Re:Hear no...see no...speak no...

[c0d3h4x0r]

"For those who are still frustrated with the CUPS GUI, how would you improve it?"

Close our eyes, and pretend the problem doesn't exist.

You're a FreeBSD developer, aren't you?

Re:Opposite experience from ESR

[Hognoxious]

I went downstairs to my GF's Powerbook

Wow, your mom has a double level basement!

Re:Answer

[smittyoneeach]

I write ^&%^$& VBS code

Man, that VBScript_RegExp_55.RegExp object is a right bummer, innit?

CUPS printing system

[h4rr4r]

brought to you by the department of redundancy department

Re:Windows print config easy?

[Dr.Dubious DDQ]

How is calling a remote printer a local printer intuitive or easy?

The same way that clicking "Start" is the intuitive and/or easy way to get to the "Shut Down" option...

...and War is Peace, and Freedom is Slavery, and so forth.

Hey, I didn't say it made SENSE...

Re:It has little to do with CUPS itself.

[flynns]

"But Mr. Dent, the PPD file has been available on our web site for the last nine months."

"Oh yes, well, as soon as I heard I went straight round to fetch it, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually saying anything about it or anything."

"But the file was available."

"Available? I had to finagle my way into a non-advertised server to download it."

"That's our Linux Support Server."

"With Telnet."

"Ah, well, the HTTP interface had probably gone."

"So had the T3. I got it at FIFTY bytes per second."

"But look, you got the file, didn't you?"

"Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was made available fifteen directories deep, stuck on the other side of a dusty symlink with a label saying "CONFIDENTIAL -- BEWARE OF LAWYER."

You're sick!

[levl289]

Remember if your idiot cousin from the cake shop wants the printer to work, she will phone rent-a-nerd. If you are lucky, she will wear a low cut blouse and very short skirt for the occasion.

Wow, I didn't know they had running water in the Ozarks, let alone computers!

:P

CUPS: easy setup, ugly output

[rcbarnes]

I found CUPS configuration (for an HP 920c) to be a breeze, far easier than under Windows. Unforunately, under Windows, the "make prints look like ass" is disabled, but under Linux it's set by default, and I can't find anywhere to turn it off.

Re:Sexy?!?

[whiteranger99x]

I'd bet most girls would agree. I know one I can ask if no one else does.

Sure you could do that, but what does asking your mother accomplish? :P

Re:The point

[pherthyl]

The shop never closes, on Christmas day there is a million CVS checkins around the globe.

And on Valentine's Day, there are a billion. ;)

Re:Answer

[Anonymous Coward]

Please start your lines in column 7. Column 6 is reserved for the continuation character and columns 1-5 for line numbers.

Thank you.