Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin"

From	Jape Person <japers@comcast.net>
Newsgroups	linux.debian.user
Subject	Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin"
Date	2016-11-19 22:30 +0100
Message-ID	<sFlmV-1Ou-3@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
References	<sF2Nj-6zZ-3@gated-at.bofh.it> <sFeY9-68F-7@gated-at.bofh.it> <sFgdA-6QV-21@gated-at.bofh.it> <sFip4-8u5-9@gated-at.bofh.it> <sFjO9-Ly-7@gated-at.bofh.it>
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On 11/19/2016 02:47 PM, Brian wrote:
> On Sat 19 Nov 2016 at 13:16:57 -0500, Jape Person wrote:
>
>> On 11/19/2016 10:55 AM, Brian wrote:
>>>
>>> Why is it important for the printer to be blobless? Look at it this way:
>>>
>>> A printer is choc-a-bloc full of firmware. None of this firmware is
>>> accessible to a user, even if something like an interpreter is based on
>>> an open standard such as PostScript. Indeed, there may be a rasteriser
>>> which itself uses a proprietary format such as URF.
>>>
>>> Suppose there are some bugs in the firmware; for example, the AirPrint
>>> facility ceases to work reliably with an i-device. This has happened in
>>> the past and the manufacturer provided a binary blob to fix it. What
>>> would you do?
>>>
>>> Ok, I'll tell you what I would do. I would get the blob and upload it to
>>> the printer to bring it back to a working state. I would do the same for
>>> a troublesome PDF rasteriser. I see no difference between doing that and
>>> getting an hplip plugin to have the printer (or scanner) working at its
>>> full potential.
>>>
>>
>> I'm just a little antsy about having the unknown executable residing on my
>> system drive. I just don't see why they felt they had to *design* the danged
>> thing to work this way. It reeks of someone trying to get his toe in the
>> door.
>>
>> The firmware that resides in various places within the device itself at
>> least has to restrict itself to interacting with the computer via the
>> protocols used for printing, no? But the blob that resides on the system
>> drive gets executed by the OS. Seems a tad too intimate for my taste.
>>
>> It may simply be my ignorance which compels me to feel this way, but --
>> after all -- if I know that I'm ignorant of the possibilities, why shouldn't
>> I be cautious? Yesteryear's printers and scanners had plenty enough features
>> to suit me and didn't require the blob. I'd like to find a blobless wonder
>> that will simply do what I need.
>
> Another practical aspect is that the host-based plugin adds another
> layer to the printing process. Bugs in it which turn a functioning
> printer into a non-functioning printer are not unknown. Ok, they get
> fixed but meanwhile.......
>
> You have this one definite requirement and will have to firm up what
> else you definitely want. I'll mention the HP OfficeJet Pro 8720
> All-in-One Printer. It is relatively inexpensive, deals in PCL 3 and
> has AirPrint. An interesting aspect of it is that it is claimed to be
> an IPP Everywhere printer, meaning you need no drivers on the machine
> you are printing from. But it is an inkjet.
>
Yes, thanks. I suppose I'll just have to go with an MFP that uses inkjet 
instead of laser. It think it's curious that you can get a single 
function Color LaserJet from HP that doesn't require the driver plugin. 
You can get an OfficePro MFP which doesn't require the driver plugin. 
But you can't get a single function scanner which doesn't require the 
driver plugin.

I wanted a laser printer. I wanted a scanner. I didn't want an inkjet or 
the driver plugin. There currently seems to be no way to accomplish this 
exact set of specs. The closest I can come, I guess, is to buy a laser 
printer and an inkjet MFP and just not use the inkjet printer portion of 
the MFP.

Your suggestion of the 8720 or one of its close relatives is probably 
the best I can do with HP. I appreciate your help on this, Brian.

Regards,
JP

Thread

hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 02:40 +0100
  Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-19 12:50 +0100
    Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 19:00 +0100
  Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> - 2016-11-19 15:40 +0100
    Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-19 17:00 +0100
      Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> - 2016-11-19 17:40 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-19 18:40 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 19:30 +0100
          Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-19 21:10 +0100
            Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 22:40 +0100
              Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-20 21:00 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-21 00:00 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" "James P. Wallen" <jpwallen@comcast.net> - 2016-11-21 00:20 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Richard Hector <richard@walnut.gen.nz> - 2016-11-23 12:30 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-23 13:00 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2016-11-23 15:10 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-24 19:30 +0100
            Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-24 21:50 +0100
      Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-19 18:10 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-19 18:50 +0100
      Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 19:20 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-11-19 20:50 +0100
          Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 22:30 +0100
            Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-12-04 20:00 +0100
              Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-06 04:10 +0100
    Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-11-19 19:10 +0100
      Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-11-21 23:30 +0100
  Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-03 19:20 +0100
    Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-03 20:20 +0100
      Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-03 21:20 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-04 12:50 +0100
          Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-12-04 16:00 +0100
            Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-04 16:50 +0100
            Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-06 04:00 +0100
              Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-07 00:50 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-07 02:50 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Richard Hector <richard@walnut.gen.nz> - 2016-12-07 09:00 +0100
                Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-07 16:20 +0100
      Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-12-03 21:30 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-03 21:40 +0100
          Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Marc Shapiro <marcnshap@gmail.com> - 2016-12-06 00:40 +0100
            Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-06 04:10 +0100
              Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Marc Shapiro <marcnshap@gmail.com> - 2016-12-06 06:40 +0100
        Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Fred <fred@blakemfg.com> - 2016-12-04 02:00 +0100
          Re: hplip and use of the "driver plugin" Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2016-12-04 06:40 +0100

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