[TriLUG] CUPS printing trouble

[Mike M]

I had printing with CUPS working on my debian machine.  Then I played with 
several new software packages.  Then I could not print from my debian 
machine.  I could still print from MS machines. On the debian machine, I 
removed the printer and reinstalled it using KDE Control Center.  Now I can 
print from the debian machine again. The printer is a Samba shared printer to 
the Debian machine.  Physically, the printer is hanging off of an MS machine.

Has anybody else had an experience like this?  

I am inclined to to think that installing and removing packages (or rpms) can 
degrade a working system.  If so, what is the probability of it happening? 
(likely, maybe, infrequently)

Is it common practice on this list to have a regression test that is run 
after each upgrade on a machine?
-- 
Mike M.