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I have initially posted this question on the installation of the LBP-1120 canon printer only in relation to Ubuntu 11.10.

but:

  1. I was not able to find a satisfactory answer for 11.10
  2. Meanwhile I have upgraded to 12.04 and then to 12.10 without being able to install that printer.
  3. Any new question for these different versions is very likely to be flagged as duplicate of the initial one. (Which now has a more inclusive name in a recent edit as result of comments to the new one that was flagged as duplicate.)
  4. The installation in 10.10 works, which is great news for me - as it is the first time my printer works well in Ubuntu. I posted that as an answer but cannot really want it as a definitive because I only tested it on a persistent usb while I currently am in 12.10. But that answer might be useful to others, while I could use that persistent usb in order to print...

Should I create separate questions for each Ubuntu version? I am afraid they will be closed as duplicate of the first.

Should different answers be posted for each Ubuntu version? What would be the definitive then? Also, setting one as definitive to the unified question, users may not feel inclined to provide new answers for other versions.

Should only one answer include solutions for all/as many as possible versions? This would be normal given the present unified/inclusive form of the question. Should I ask people to provide edits to my answer instead to give new separate ones?

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Should I create separate questions for each Ubuntu version?

Should different answers be posted for each Ubuntu version?

No and No! It's the same question. Questions should not be specific to a single version and answers applying to multiple versions should be in the answers (with some additional steps to take if required). This is a lot more valuable and searchable than to have a question for this printer for every single version spread all over the site.

In case things are quite different in newer releases, a new answer could come in stating "This is how to deal with it in Cups version N since Ubuntu 12.10" and edit or comment on the other answer stating it's working until 12.04 for example. (example here)

Questions should not be about a single Ubuntu version in your case is my opinion. I think you should keep it to one canonical question, e.g.:

How do I get my Canon LBP-1120 printer to work?

Then in the body of such a question you indicate what you've tried, what new information you come up with by editing it, etc.

If you want it to get more attention, just put a bounty on it.

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  • i have also updated the main question and added a lot of info on trying to install the printer in 12.10, in case you want to look at that
    – user47206
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 13:39
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    So you're saying that multiple answers (for 12.04, 12.10, etc) should be in one mega answer? That kind of bucks the trend we've used in the past for stuff, but maybe I'm missing something for this particular case.
    – jrg Mod
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 14:12
  • @jrg No, not really. I mean, I would prefer a single answer with a remark for differences in versions, e.g. "use git-core instead of git for 10.10 and earlier" (example here)
    – gertvdijk
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 14:14
  • @gertvdijk so you're saying that this is bad practice? askubuntu.com/questions/4983/…
    – jrg Mod
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 14:23
  • @jrg No, that's fine as the complete path is different in those versions. My main point was about Questions being asked for each individual version. For answers I think they should only be posted in one if only individual steps are different (or the steps in total are quite brief or even non applicable). And I think this answer is clear on this, right? Paragraph starting from "In case things are quite different in newer releases"
    – gertvdijk
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 14:27
  • Ah, ok. ignore me then. :)
    – jrg Mod
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 14:31
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(Too long to leave as a comment): I searched for this printer on google to see what it would be like for a user to find a solution:

enter image description here

Those top three questions should really be merged and drop the version number, then there's the official documentation (yay!), a blog that looks out of date but is the basis of at least part of the solution, a bunch of unanswered threads in the forums, and after that it gets progressively worse.

So the opportunity here is for you to have the page about this printer on Ubuntu on the internet, so I say merge it and make it awesome.

One thing I would do though is remove all the version specific changes in the question and just make it generic, it should just be the question about how to get the printer to work, and then in the answers you should make one for every version, that would be a nice place to make a placeholder for 12.10 so it's obvious to people that that answer needs to be improved instead of putting it in the question.

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    "merge it and make it awesome" is exactly what I wanted to say! :) +1.
    – gertvdijk
    Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 17:14
  • as i finally succeeded in 12.10, now the answer will include all the solutions that i'll find, and i'll update the question and answer in time (askubuntu.com/q/105891/47206)
    – user47206
    Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 18:13

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