Too many printing apps

[Daniel Chapman]

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Nanley Chery" <nanleychery at gmail.com>
> To: ubuntu-desktop at lists.ubuntu.com
> Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 02:06:26 -0500
> Subject: Too many printing apps
> As of now, we have three printing applications: one for Managing Print
> Jobs, another for setting the Default Printer, and another for managing
> Printing settings. Respectively, these entries exist under Accessories,
> Preferences, and Administration; this is excessive.
>        I think we should just have one or two apps. We already have the
>  ability to set the default printer in the Printing app, so the Default printer
> app is not needed. And maybe we could embed some
> print-job-management-functionality in the Printing app. If that isn't possible,
> then we should move the app to administration to reallocate some cruft.
> These three apps add an unnecessary amount of complexity to the OS (a tad
> reminiscent of some KDE distros I've used).
>        The only hurdle is that the Printing app is a tool requiring root
> privileges and the others don't. It may be (by design) that the other
> two apps were provided for non-admin users to manage their printing
> preferences and jobs. If this is the case, would it be possible to have
> the Printing app globally accessible, requiring a password only when
> some options are chosen? or even multiple printing profiles?

As far as i can see, i agree that these 3 dialogs need to be combined.
This will *greatly* help with the goal of user friendliness.

As Nanley mentioned, you could just have a password prompt when changing
any "admin" options or when accessing an "admin section" of the dialog.