Strawman: remove vendor-specific configuration tools from default install

[Mackenzie Morgan]

Ubuntu by default includes a Palm Pilot sync tool and an HP printer 
configuration tool.I'm wondering why we need vendor-specific tools like these in 
the default install.  

Gnome-pilot is limited to dealing with only Palm devices, and for this reason, 
someone submitted a bug asking that it be removed.[1]  That bug is currently 
full of arguments and people who don't even use Palm devices are saying that 
it should stay because syncing a PDA is important and they wish their PDA 
could sync with Ubuntu.  Wouldn't the appropriate way to address this be to 
have a PDA-syncing application that could work with their Nokia, Apple, 
Google, RIM, and yes, Palm, devices?  Having a Palm-only syncing application 
included by default still leaves the majority of PDA & smartphone users stuck 
trying to find a way to make their device work.

HP printers can be configured just fine with the included printer configuration 
tool, though I admit the included one cannot show ink levels.  Why not just 
add that to the default one?  If Brother put out a tool like this for their 
printers, would we include both, just HP's, or neither? 

How many vendor-specific apps will we acquire (and delegate CD space to) before 
we realize it makes sense to just have one that handles all devices of that 
type?

[1] https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/334446

-- 
Mackenzie Morgan
http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspot.com
apt-get moo
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