Here is the whole readout if it can clarify matters:
ry@harry-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get install alien printconf
[sudo] password for harry:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
alien is already the newest version.
The following extra packages will be installed:
foomatic-db-gutenprint ijsgutenprint libijs-0.35 python-foomatic python-ipy
Suggested packages:
foomatic-gui
The following NEW packages will be installed:
foomatic-db-gutenprint ijsgutenprint libijs-0.35 printconf python-foomatic
python-ipy
0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 2811kB of archives.
After this operation, 51.0MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get:1
Index of / hardy/main libijs-0.35 0.35-3 [13.3kB]
Get:2
Index of / hardy/main ijsgutenprint 5.0.2-2ubuntu1 [56.2kB]
Get:3
Index of / hardy/main foomatic-db-gutenprint 5.0.2-2ubuntu1 [2678kB]
Get:4
Index of / hardy/universe python-ipy 1:0.55+1-1 [29.0kB]
Get:5
Index of / hardy/universe python-foomatic 0.7.7ubuntu1 [19.0kB]
Get:6
Index of / hardy/universe printconf 0.7.7ubuntu1 [15.7kB]
Fetched 2811kB in 15s (179kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package libijs-0.35.
(Reading database ... 161780 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libijs-0.35 (from .../libijs-0.35_0.35-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package ijsgutenprint.
Unpacking ijsgutenprint (from .../ijsgutenprint_5.0.2-2ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package foomatic-db-gutenprint.
Unpacking foomatic-db-gutenprint (from .../foomatic-db-gutenprint_5.0.2-2ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package python-ipy.
Unpacking python-ipy (from .../python-ipy_1%3a0.55+1-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package python-foomatic.
Unpacking python-foomatic (from .../python-foomatic_0.7.7ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package printconf.
Unpacking printconf (from .../printconf_0.7.7ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
Setting up libijs-0.35 (0.35-3) ...
Setting up ijsgutenprint (5.0.2-2ubuntu1) ...
Setting up foomatic-db-gutenprint (5.0.2-2ubuntu1) ...
Setting up python-ipy (1:0.55+1-1) ...
Setting up python-foomatic (0.7.7ubuntu1) ...
Setting up printconf (0.7.7ubuntu1) ...
Unable to read printer database. Please ensure the "foomatic-db" package is
installed properly.
Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
harry@harry-desktop:~$