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install printing.el (the Print menu) by default


From: Drew Adams
Subject: install printing.el (the Print menu) by default
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 10:08:17 -0700

Why don't we install printing.el, that is, the Print menu, by default?

Printing is something where being able to select printing features (printer,
N-up, line numbers, duplex, portrait/landscape, etc.) on the fly is useful, and
a menu is one good way to make these features easily visible and selectable.

If we installed the Print (sub)menu by default, then users would see it and use
it. All that a user needs to do to get started is configure the printer(s) and
PostScript program s?he uses.

It wouldn't be bad to have a menu item Configure to help with this. That kind of
exists now, with menu item File > Print > Customize > printing, but we could
perhaps make things easier for a user to get things set up. In particular, it is
setting up `pr-path-alist' and `pr-ps-printer-alist' that is important and
perhaps a bit tricky.

A user starting out should have a Print menu, with some indication that s?he
needs to install ghostscript/ghostview etc. to use a PostScript printer. Just a
little more help would be a real improvement, IMO.

Note that nothing prevents one from not using the Print menu, but it is helpful
for many people (including me). It's quite easy to use, and does not require you
to remember the commands you need to do things you don't do everyday (e.g. print
2-up with zebra stripes).

I propose that we install the Print menu by default.





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