Add hplip-gui to Kubunto ISO?

[Clay Weber]

On Monday, August 13, 2012 02:51:57 PM Steve Riley wrote:
> On 2012-08-13 17:33:04 Scott Kitterman wrote:
> > Fortunately it Kubuntu it's generally even easier.  I have two of the so
> > called evil all-in-one devices from HP on my local network.  If I click
> > printer configuration in system setting and then add printer, from there,
> > all I have to do is click to accept the recommendation given by the system
> > (this is the KDE printer configuration manager, not the HP GUI) and they
> > are auto detected on the network, their printer type identified and  an
> > appropriate driver selected.  I've tried to get these exact printers
> > working on Windows and OS X and it is FAR easier on Kubuntu with the
> > non-manufacturer specific tools we already provide.
> > 
> > But he doesn't need it.  All he needs to find is System Settings ->
> > Printer
> > Configuration.
> > 
> > I don't recall exactly which tool in the toolset does the actual download,
> > but I think it's something like CUPS identifying a missing driver talks to
> > Jockey, which fetches the PPD.  I don't have any printers that need this
> > functionality, but I understand it's already there.
> > 
> > The situation is similar with scanning on the all-in-ones.  If I fire up
> > skanlite it will auto detect the scanners on the network and the step me
> > through the process of scanning, without the HP GUI.
> > 
> > The HP GUI does have some additional management features if people are
> > interested in them, but in terms of standard functions for
> > printers/scanners I think the tools we already ship fill the bill.
> 
> Ah...well, as I haven't had the need to print or scan since many moons ago,
> I've never experimented with any of these tools. I will check in with the
> forum members and have them report their experiences with the printer
> configuration KCM and Skanlite.
> 
> ...Steve

Same here on printing, mostly, until I bought a second hand wireless Officejet 
:)

I have to concur that for most use cases, the extra tools are just that: 
extra.  

A side note on the HP toolbox software. If you use it to access your wireless 
printer's  web page, it will open in Firefox by default. If you do not have 
that installed, it will default to Konqueror. If you don't have *that*, well  
it doesn't open with anything. Not useful in a number of cases.

What I think is an interesting idea is to have a notification about installing 
a manufacturer's printing tools somewhere in the printer config applet itself. 
No popup spam, just a text when you open it that shows your printer info, and 
a suggestion that you can get such tools by installing  <packagename>. 
Something similar for manually installing a printer - especially a wireless 
one, where  you have to connect via USB first to set it up and may need that 
software.

Clay