Printers in Linux - Was: Re: [lug] SSSCA to make all open source software illegal

[D. Stimits]

Ferdinand Schmid wrote:
> 
> D. Stimits wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> >
> > It seems that Linux and UNIX grew up from Postscript beginnings. I
> > happen to love Postscript, but it is proprietary, so all the low end or
> > consumer grade printers have their own languages. There is a general
> > scheme of trying to create PS documents from any printing application,
> > and using ghostscript to send it to any non-PS printer. The unfortunate
> > side effect is that no printer utilities for particular brands exists,
> > e.g., aligning ink cartridges. It is common that these printers that
> > work from Linux can't be maintained from Linux because all we know how
> > to do is convert for printing, we don't have hardware specs for
> > aligning, cleaning, so on. This also means it really sucks to try to
> > detect hardware for printing. I think what we need is something like
> > ghostscript, but designed for printer maintenance and detection. E.G.,
> > it would understand (possibly via modules) how to align and maintain any
> > printer; it would have some knowledge of detecting various brands and
> > models to choose the right maintenance protocols. It would be the part
> > of the subsystem that ghostscript falls short on. You can't make a new
> > print subsystem that follows none of the printer languages unless
> > someone is willing to write the drivers for these new languages...almost
> > nobody would do that, ghostscript already does it. Detection and
> > maintenance is the side that would be nice to have.
> >
> >
> <snip>
> 
> Well - there is one company that makes Linux drivers for their inkjet
> printers and allows you to align print cartridges...  LEXMARK
> I recently had the pleasure of trying this with a Lexmark Z53 inkjet (a
> pretty inexpensive printer that does 2400 x 1200 dpi).
> The driver installed super easy on SuSE 7.3 and worked beautifully.  It
> comes in RPM format and convinced me to trade my HP printer for a
> Lexmark one.  Higher consumables cost but much better output!

I've pretty much decided that if a time comes when I can afford a new
printer, it'll either be a Lexmark printer (based in part on what you've
mentioned, and in part on feeling it is higher quality hardware/drivers
than HP and Epson), or a true PostScript color laser printer. But true
PostScript color laser is rather expensive, so I doubt I'll ever own
one. I'm really really (did I mention *really*?) disappointed in
administrative tools for inkjets on linux, driver quality on windows,
and hardware quality in general, for inkjets, they just plain suck even
at the lower prices (they are basically throw-away junk if not lucky).

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com

> 
> Ferdinand
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Web Page:  http://lug.boulder.co.us
> Mailing List: http://lists.lug.boulder.co.us/mailman/listinfo/lug