Re: [tlug] Printers for linux, was: refurbished Thinkpad X60 with Coreboot & Linux

[Benjamin Tayehanpour <benjamin@example.com>]

On 28 December 2013 12:55, Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen@example.com> wrote:
> I know how to do that.  I can't afford the time to teach my children
> economics and printers too, unfortunately, and I'm paid to do the
> former.

I certainly do not want to criticise your child-rearing. However,
would it not be more efficient to teach them advanced R of TFM, that
they may find solutions themselves? "Printers" is a relatively narrow
field, and I fully understand how you wouldn't have time for teaching
it.

> The problem with CUPS is that it's very poorly documented, so if
> something goes wrong, you might as well be using Windows.  If it
> doesn't work ... restart the daemon.  If that doesn't help ... reboot.
> If that doesn't help ... reinstall.  If that doesn't help ... revert
> to older version from backup.

Documentation is always poor in our world, unfortunately. It's a
low-prestige task. I don't agree about the "might as well be using
Windows" part, though, as code is in itself the ultimate form of
documentation. Not very legible, but absolute.

> So I take the easy way out ... and let them use Windows. :-(

Don't you have control over the hardware ecology in your home? If you
buy only compatible stuff, and everything works at home, i really see
no reason why they couldn't be using GNU/Linux. If it doesn't work
elsewhere... well, tell them to hit the manpages. It builds character
;)