Startup services (Re: ubuntu-laptop useful?)

[Chris Wagner]

Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> On Sat, May 06, 2006 at 03:08:43PM +0200, Thilo Six wrote:
>>  206  update-rc.d -f cupsys remove
>>  207  update-rc.d -f hplip remove
> 
> 
> Similar problem; there's no way to know if a printer is connected
> (especially if it's turned off at boot time).  Most desktop users seem to
> want to print at some point in their lives, and CUPS needs to be running
> then.  It runs with special privileges, so it can't be started by the user.
> Remember that a printer could be turned on or connected at any time, and
> parallel port printers can't be automatically detected (USB printers could
> theoretically trigger the startup of printing services when connected).

If udev/dbus/whatever can automatically start CUPS for USB printers, 
then the problem is only with parallel port printers (right?).  And, 
since these cannot be autodetected, then some kind of manual 
"installation" process must take place when the user decides to make use 
of such a printer (as is required, now, with all printers).  So, perhaps 
CUPS could be started only when a the user attempts to "install" a 
printer -- when he hits System->Administration->Printers->New Printer.

It seems like this would be possible, theoretically, but I'd guess there 
would be problems with the Ubuntu/GNOME printer management implementation:
  a) How would you know if printers are "installed" (so we know whether 
to start CUPS) if CUPS isn't running?  You could probably look at the 
configuration for CUPS, but that may or may not be a good idea (?).
  b) The GNOME "Printers" panel would probably have to be reprogrammed 
to start CUPS, if it wasn't running already, when the user hit "New 
Printer".

Not sure about all this, but it seems maybe it's just an issue of 
whether or not it's worth the trouble that it would be to not auto-start 
CUPS by default.