Open source driver - Windows XP

[Christopher Chan]

On Thursday, June 24, 2010 07:14 AM, NoOp wrote:
> On 06/23/2010 03:16 AM, Chan Chung Hang Christopher wrote:
>> NoOp wrote:
> ...
>>> Actually (WinXP):
>>> HP Officejet *Basic Driver*
>>> 2009-09-12 , Version:4.2.1, 34.23M
>>> HP Multi-Function Products Driver Bundle - Corporate Only
>>> 2009-09-09 , Version:5.3.1, 68.69M
>>> HP Officejet and PSC Full Feature Software and Driver
>>> 2004-04-30 , Version:2.1.0, 166.14M
>>
>> You don't really believe that the actual driver for the printer itself
>> takes up 34 mebibytes now do you?
>
> You don't really believe that is the actual driver for *only* that 'HP
> Officejet' do you?

Nope. Just that you highlighted 'basic driver' and left it at that.


>
>>> <http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=79477>
>>> ...
>>>
>>> (linux)
>>> hplip-3.10.5.run
>>> Download size - 20.5MB
>>> (note that is compressed, so it will get considerably larger *after
>>> expanding* - see:
>>> <http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web/install/install/index.html>
>>>
>>> And from the Ubuntu repos - 3.10.2.2-ubuntu2:
>>> hplip-data - download size 11.6MB, expanded 39.3MB
>>> Then of course add hplip, etc. etc.
>>>
>>
>> That contains ALL the drivers for all HP (most anyway) printers.
>
> See above. My point is that the linux drivers are more or less just as
> large as the Win drivers. Then of course you may have to add scanning
> utilities, etc.
>
> Now, the worst part is that Ubuntu _includes_ the hplip drivers on
> install whether you have an HP device or not. Over 40MB of useless drive
> space.
>
>

I wonder how much of the kernel modules are actually used. Do we need to 
shave off a few too? I mean, /lib/modules/${kernel-version} is over a 
hundred mebibytes and I doubt they are all used. That's definitely over 
40MB of useless drive space too.