[vox-tech] CUPS Doen't Work on Debian

[Bob Scofield]

The last two CUPS upgrades on Debian have been a nightmare.  The 
next-to-the-last upgrade resulted in an error message saying that the 
parallel port couldn't be found and that CUPS would retry in 30 seconds.

I Googled the problem and learned that the bug had been reported, but it was 
classified as "low priority."  But I could print by doing the following.  If 
I brought up CUPS and went to "Administration" and chose "Add Printer" and 
did *nothing* then my print job would start.

Today Apt upgraded to CUPS 1.2.1.  Now I can't print at all.  The new error 
message is "/usr/lib/cups/backend/parallel failed".  What's more, if I try to 
add a new printer with a different driver, I get nothing but a blank page 
after typing in my user name and password.  

Fortunately I've got an earlier Debian version on another mounted partition, 
and so I can print from there.  But I was wondering if there is anybody else 
suffering from these problems.  My printer is an HP Laserjet 1320.  I know 
there are a bunch of Debian users on this list.  So what's happening with you 
folks?

Is it possible to get the CUPS version number from my other Debian and somehow 
get Apt to download it, and then configure Apt not to upgrade it?

I hate to be such a wimp.  I've just recently decided that if I get a laptop 
I'm going to install SuSE.  But now I'm thinking of putting it on this 
desktop.  I know Rod Roark is going to say I should install Ubuntu, but the 
first problem I mentioned is reported to have arisen on Unbuntu also.

Thanks.

Bob