Re: Firmware stuff - was systemd troll

[Zenaan Harkness <zen@freedbms.net>]

On 3/4/14, Bret Busby <bret@busby.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 3 Mar 2014, Scott Ferguson wrote:
>>> As a single example, I have a multifunction printer, of which, the
>>> multifunctionality worked with Debian 5. Now, it is only a laser
>>> printer, running with Debian 6 - to use it to scan, I have to scan
>>> to a USB drive, and then copy the files to the computer, as Debian 6
>>> (and, I believe, similarly, Debian 7) does not provide for the
>>> device to wotk with it, other than using a printer driver that is not
>>> for the particular model range, and, losing all other interfaced
>>> functionality.
>>>
>>> Surely, it must be possible, to provide backward compatibility, to
>>> allow software that ran on earlier versions of Debian, to run on a
>>> current stable version?
>>
>> No, for the same reasons I stated in the previous sentence. However
>> that's not the problem, or solution in your case (x-y?).
>> You need software support for older hardware, not support for older
>> software. I'd be very surprised if that was not possible.
>>
>> That's a different subject and as such should be posted as a different
>> subject. Preferably with the appropriate information so your problem can
>> be resolved and so that it isn't just more irrelevant material  clogging
>> the list with random, non-productive tangents.

> The device had available, a software suite, named the Samsung Unified
> Print Driver.
>
> That worked with Debian Linux 5.
>
> It apparently does not work with Debian Linux 6.

So you are insisting on using that particular piece of software.

"A" solution could be to run a Debian 5 chroot, inside your Debian 6.

Does that sound like something you'd be willing to try?

Yes, you don't like change. There is a cost to that.

"A"nother solution could be to stick to Debian 5, and if you need it
for some reason, just upgrade to a recent kernel, without changing any
other packages.

You might find using an older version of Debian, if you're running on
the same hardware, to be adequate for your needs.

Good luck,
Zenaan