Compiling your own isn't that difficult. Most of us have done it for some packages. But won't the changes to cups be in the source code?

Thanks to aus9, michaelk, hazel etc for your suggestions.

I am aware of the virtual machine route, but it is too long-winded when you only occasionally need to print an odd page or two.

I will stick to my initial plan of blocking all CUPS-related updates on my main desktop PC (possibly until April 2027 when LM 21.2 support ends).

In addition, on my spare laptop, also running Mint, I will allow the CUPS 3.0 update (including the Legacy Printer Application?).

I will then connect my Brother HL-1112 printer and test whether it works.

If it does, then I will allow the CUPS 3.0 update on my main desktop PC.

Thanks once again to all who contributed to this Legacy printers and IPPEverywhere (driverless) thread.

I am pretty sure that many Linux users with Legacy printers are totally unaware of forthcoming changes to CUPS, just like I was before michaelk's timely intervention.

I will mark this thread as [SOLVED].

Hi hazel

my bad I should have said learn to compile existing cups and we might download existing cups from here
https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/releases/