On Mon, Jul 09, 2018 at 06:16:59PM -0400, Stefan Monnier wrote: > > If you meant hplip drivers, which are available from Debian > > repository, then I wonder what actually makes them so much "from > > Debian"? IMHO, their avalability from Debian repository does not > > really make them particulary "Debian". They are still developed by HP > > or their development is sponsored by HP, aren't they? > > The issue is not who writes the code. The issue is whether the code is > available under a Free license such that it can be integrated cleanly > into the OS distribution I use, e.g. > - It works on all the architectures supported by Debian > - The Debian maintainers will take care of compatibility between > different versions of packages. So I won't have to choose between > sticking to some old version of CUPS (for example), or having to buy > a new printer, because the printer manufacturer stopped updating their > driver for printers older than 5 years (say). > - I don't have to check the manufacturer's web-site for bug-fixes and > security updates: `apt-get` does it for me. > > > And BTW HP allegedly native to Debian support was always crappy in my > > personal experience (as HP printers themselves). Especialy if compared > > with Brother propriatory drivers, which are flawless. > > To each his own. I find such software to be a maintenance hassle. > > For that reason I do not have an opinion on HP-vs-Brother in terms of > technical quality of their drivers or their hardware: I haven't had the > opportunity to try Brother's drivers, and I won't as long as it's > proprietary (and IIUC they don't provide drivers that work on my > ARM-based CUPS server anyway). > > > The interesting point is that Linux community is always and rightfully > > upset by the fact that manufacturers do not care to provide Linux > > support. IMHO we should then appreciate and support the manufacturer > > when it cares about Linux users, shouldn't we? > > I think it's stupid for a printer manufacturer not to provide its > drivers as Free Software and collaborate with the community. It might > make sense not to provide drivers for GNU/Linux at all, but if they have > to go through the trouble of writing the driver, they might as well make > it Free Software. It just makes a lot of commercial sense.
You're both missing the main point, which is that a Brother printer with BRscript/3 is essentially a Postscript printer, and you can treat it as one. No drivers needed. -dsr-