Comment 83 for bug 905147

(In reply to comment #74)
> @reescf: we use a4 per default and the qt print dialog doesn't default to
> letter... did you set a4 in /etc/papersize? Also: Sure this is an upstream bug,
> but as in my filing on Launchpad, I'd say it doesn't matter. Those distros
> incorporate lots of patches to their packages so this is not excuse. What's
> more: The users don't care and they shouldn't have to. The patch doesn't fix
> the underlying problem but it does fix 99% of the annoyance. And with distros
> like Ubuntu and Arch, still behaving like douchebags in that matter, acceptance
> for Linux on the desktop takes a hit for affected users...

I don't have an /etc/papersize. I have never, ever used letter size paper from this machine. I do have a US-with-Euro keyboard but that's it. All printers I use, even CUPS PDF, are set to default to A4 in CUPS, texlive is set to default to A4, all my documents are produced for A4. But I have to set A4 in the QT print dialog every time.

Arch will only patch to fix "serious breakage" and even then, they'd rather not. My understanding is that Arch does not include an enormous number of patches in the way that Debian, Ubuntu etc. do. Whatever you may think of that policy, it is unfair to accuse them of being "douchebags" on grounds of inconsistency. Ubuntu may be inconsistent on this but I can't see Arch is.

Also, I don't think that high a proportion of Arch users use KDE.

If you think not fixing it is problematic because of the hit on users, why doesn't KDE fix it or push for QT to fix it?

You should at least get rid of the "Advanced" tab in the print dialog. Since the settings there have no effect on anything, it is simply confusing. Better to just have the QT options and a note saying, "We know that these options don't reflect the capabilities of your printer or your CUPS defaults. We know they don't reflect the settings you customised via KDE's own print settings control module. (We put that in just to tease!) We should also tell you that any changes you make will be immediately lost and will need to be reset for every document you print. But that's somebody else's problem. We're not sure whether QT or your distro should fix it but we know we're not going to. If you don't like it, use GNOME."

At least that would be straightforward.

Of course it puts me off Linux. I've just switched from OS X and you're telling me I have to compile QT from scratch to get my print settings to stick?!

If I'm fair, though, it puts me of KDE more than it puts me off Linux.