Let us take this example (pasted below) for answering your questions:

http://openprinting.org/query.cgi?type=drivers&moreinfo=1&printer=Samsung-ML-1750&onlydriverpackages=1&onlynewestdriverpackages=1&architectures=i386&packagesystem=rpm&lsbversion=3.2&format=xml

I assume you use the XML format. If you use text, please tell me.

Martin Pitt wrote:
> Till, some questions:
> 
>  - Is the driver supplied by the manufacturer or a third party?

*** 1 ***
<thirdpartysupplied/>

A manufacturer-supplied driver has

<manufacturersupplied/>

here. If none of the two is there, assume a third-party driver.

>  - Support contacts and support levels for each contact

*** 2 ***

<supportcontacts>

section. Can have one or more support contacts. They can be "voluntary" 
or "commercial".

>  - If the printer is color but the driver only BW an appropriate warning
> 

Driver supports color if it has

<color/>

field in the

<functionality>

section.

I found out now that I have totally forgotten to add the info about 
whether a printer is color or not to the printer entries. You could at 
least add the info whether the driver is color or bw to the driver list 
entry for now.

> to which fields of the returned data structure do these map?
> 
>  - Does the driver have patent issues?
> 
> -> that maps to the "patents" field. However, a simple yes/no field is
> quite uninteresting for the user? I mean, knowing that there are patents
> doesn't really help him, he needs details? (and most users wouldn't care
> anyway, as long as it is free software)
> 

The details have to be put into the license text field. See the SpliX 
driver.

    Till


<drivers>
<driver id="driver/gutenprint52">
<name>gutenprint52</name>
<url>http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/</url>
<supplier>Gutenprint project</supplier>
<thirdpartysupplied/>               *** 1 ***
<license>GPL</license>
<freesoftware/>
<supportcontacts>
<supportcontact level="voluntary" 
url="https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gimp-print-devel">Gutenprint 
mailing list at SourceForge</supportcontact>
</supportcontacts>                  *** 2 ***
<shortdescription>

    Top Quality Printer Drivers for inkjets, dye sublimation printers,
    and PCL lasers<br>

    (<b>Development snapshot, not for daily use!</b>)

</shortdescription>
<execution>
<cups/>
</execution>
<functionality>
<color/>
<text>90</text>
<lineart>90</lineart>
<graphics>100</graphics>
<photo>100</photo>
<speed>60</speed>
</functionality>
<packages>
<i486>
<package file="gutenprint-5.2.0-0.beta4.0lsb3.2.i486.rpm">
<url>
http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/RPMS/i486/gutenprint-5.2.0-0.beta4.0lsb3.2.i486.rpm
</url>
<realversion>5.2.0beta4</realversion>
<version>5.2.0</version>
<release>0.beta4.0</release>
<lsbver>3.2</lsbver>
<sortindex>5.2.0_0.beta4.0_3.2</sortindex>
<text>5.2.0beta4 (RPM for LSB 3.2)</text>
<arch>i486</arch>
<pkgsys>rpm</pkgsys>
<scope>general</scope>
<repositories>
<yum>
[openprinting-gutenprint52-driver]
name=OpenPrinting LSB-3.2-based driver packages of "gutenprint52"
baseurl=http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/components/lsb3.2/gutenprint52/RPMS
enabled=1
gpgcheck=0
</yum>
<zypper>
zypper sa 
http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/components/lsb3.2/gutenprint52/RPMS/ 
gutenprint52
</zypper>
</repositories>
</package>
</i486>
</packages>
</driver>
<driver id="driver/splix">
<name>splix</name>
<url>http://splix.ap2c.org/</url>
<supplier>SpliX project</supplier>
<thirdpartysupplied/>
<license>GPL</license>
<licensetext>

    Principally, this driver is free software under the GPL, but take
    note on the following restriction:

    For some of the printers which this driver supports (Currently
    Samsung CLP-200, CLP-300, CLP-600, CLX-216x, CLX-2170, CLX-3160,
    Xerox Phaser 6110), it uses a JBIG software module for data
    compression.

    It is possible that certain products which can be built using the
    JBIG software module might form inventions protected by patent
    rights in some countries (e.g., by patents about arithmetic coding
    algorithms owned by IBM and AT&T in the USA). Provision of this
    software by the original author and OpenPrinting does NOT include
    any licences for any patents. In those countries where a patent
    licence is required for certain applications of this software
    module, you will have to obtain such a licence yourself.

    The driver can be built without the JBIG module, but then it will
    not support the above-mentioned printer models any more.

    Only versions 1.1.x and newer are affected. The older versions
    1.0.x do not use the JBIG software for all supported
    printers.

</licensetext>
<origlicensetext>

    Principally, this driver is free software under the GPL, but take
    note on the following restriction:

    For some of the printers which this driver supports (Currently
    Samsung CLP-200, CLP-300, CLP-600, CLX-216x, CLX-2170, CLX-3160,
    Xerox Phaser 6110), it uses a JBIG software module for data
    compression.

    It is possible that certain products which can be built using the
    JBIG software module might form inventions protected by patent
    rights in some countries (e.g., by patents about arithmetic coding
    algorithms owned by IBM and AT&T in the USA). Provision of this
    software by the original author and OpenPrinting does NOT include
    any licences for any patents. In those countries where a patent
    licence is required for certain applications of this software
    module, you will have to obtain such a licence yourself.

    The driver can be built without the JBIG module, but then it will
    not support the above-mentioned printer models any more.

    Only versions 1.1.x and newer are affected. The older versions
    1.0.x do not use the JBIG software for all supported
    printers.

</origlicensetext>
<freesoftware/>
<patents/>
<supportcontacts>
<supportcontact level="voluntary" 
url="http://sourceforge.net/forum/?group_id=175815">SpliX forum at 
SourceForge</supportcontact>
</supportcontacts>
<shortdescription>

    Driver for Samsung SPL2 (ML-1710, ...) and SPLc (CLP-500, ...) laser
    printers

</shortdescription>
<execution>
<cups/>
</execution>
<functionality>
<maxresx>1200</maxresx>
<maxresy>1200</maxresy>
<monochrome/>
<text>100</text>
<lineart>100</lineart>
<graphics>100</graphics>
<photo>80</photo>
</functionality>
<packages>
<i486>
<package file="splix-1.1.1-2lsb3.2.i486.rpm">
<url>
http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/RPMS/i486/splix-1.1.1-2lsb3.2.i486.rpm
</url>
<realversion>1.1.1</realversion>
<version>1.1.1</version>
<release>2</release>
<lsbver>3.2</lsbver>
<sortindex>1.1.1_2_3.2</sortindex>
<text>1.1.1 (RPM for LSB 3.2)</text>
<arch>i486</arch>
<pkgsys>rpm</pkgsys>
<scope>general</scope>
<repositories>
<yum>
[openprinting-splix-driver]
name=OpenPrinting LSB-3.2-based driver packages of "splix"
baseurl=http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/components/lsb3.2/splix/RPMS
enabled=1
gpgcheck=0
</yum>
<zypper>
zypper sa 
http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/components/lsb3.2/splix/RPMS/ 
splix
</zypper>
</repositories>
</package>
</i486>
</packages>
</driver>
<driver id="driver/splix2">
<name>splix2</name>
<url>http://splix.ap2c.org/</url>
<supplier>SpliX project</supplier>
<thirdpartysupplied/>
<license>GPL</license>
<licensetext>

    Principally, this driver is free software under the GPL, but take
    note on the following restriction:

    For some of the printers which this driver supports (Currently
    Samsung CLP-200, CLP-300, CLP-600, CLX-216x, CLX-2170, CLX-3160,
    Xerox Phaser 6110), it uses a JBIG software module for data
    compression.

    It is possible that certain products which can be built using the
    JBIG software module might form inventions protected by patent
    rights in some countries (e.g., by patents about arithmetic coding
    algorithms owned by IBM and AT&T in the USA). Provision of this
    software by the original author and OpenPrinting does NOT include
    any licences for any patents. In those countries where a patent
    licence is required for certain applications of this software
    module, you will have to obtain such a licence yourself.

    The driver can be built without the JBIG module, but then it will
    not support the above-mentioned printer models any more.

    Only versions 1.1.x and newer are affected. The older versions
    1.0.x do not use the JBIG software for all supported
    printers.

</licensetext>
<origlicensetext>

    Principally, this driver is free software under the GPL, but take
    note on the following restriction:

    For some of the printers which this driver supports (Currently
    Samsung CLP-200, CLP-300, CLP-600, CLX-216x, CLX-2170, CLX-3160,
    Xerox Phaser 6110), it uses a JBIG software module for data
    compression.

    It is possible that certain products which can be built using the
    JBIG software module might form inventions protected by patent
    rights in some countries (e.g., by patents about arithmetic coding
    algorithms owned by IBM and AT&T in the USA). Provision of this
    software by the original author and OpenPrinting does NOT include
    any licences for any patents. In those countries where a patent
    licence is required for certain applications of this software
    module, you will have to obtain such a licence yourself.

    The driver can be built without the JBIG module, but then it will
    not support the above-mentioned printer models any more.

    Only versions 1.1.x and newer are affected. The older versions
    1.0.x do not use the JBIG software for all supported
    printers.

</origlicensetext>
<freesoftware/>
<patents/>
<supportcontacts>
<supportcontact level="voluntary" 
url="http://sourceforge.net/forum/?group_id=175815">SpliX forum at 
SourceForge</supportcontact>
</supportcontacts>
<shortdescription>

    Driver for Samsung SPL2 (ML-1710, ...) and SPLc (CLP-500, ...) laser
    printers

    (<b>Development snapshot, not for daily use!</b>)

</shortdescription>
<execution>
<cups/>
</execution>
<functionality>
<maxresx>1200</maxresx>
<maxresy>1200</maxresy>
<monochrome/>
<text>100</text>
<lineart>100</lineart>
<graphics>100</graphics>
<photo>80</photo>
</functionality>
<packages>
<i486>
<package file="splix-2.0.0-0.rc2.0lsb3.2.i486.rpm">
<url>
http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/RPMS/i486/splix-2.0.0-0.rc2.0lsb3.2.i486.rpm
</url>
<realversion>2.0.0rc2</realversion>
<version>2.0.0</version>
<release>0.rc2.0</release>
<lsbver>3.2</lsbver>
<sortindex>2.0.0_0.rc2.0_3.2</sortindex>
<text>2.0.0rc2 (RPM for LSB 3.2)</text>
<arch>i486</arch>
<pkgsys>rpm</pkgsys>
<scope>general</scope>
<repositories>
<yum>
[openprinting-splix2-driver]
name=OpenPrinting LSB-3.2-based driver packages of "splix2"
baseurl=http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/components/lsb3.2/splix2/RPMS
enabled=1
gpgcheck=0
</yum>
<zypper>
zypper sa 
http://www.openprinting.org/download/printdriver/components/lsb3.2/splix2/RPMS/ 
splix2
</zypper>
</repositories>
</package>
</i486>
</packages>
</driver>
</drivers>