[nzlug] Being a lazy burger....

[Cliff Pratt]

Daniel Pittman wrote:
> Cliff Pratt <enkidu at cliffp.com> writes:
>> Nick Rout wrote:
>>> Cliff Pratt wrote:
>>>> I'm being a lazy burger and asking before I've done the
>>>> research....
>>>> 
>>>> So, how do these USB attached printers and MFCs go on Linux?
>>>> I've always used parallel printers till now. In this case I'm
>>>> using CUPS on Ubuntu....
> 
> [...]
> 
>>> my HP PSC 2210 works in its entirety, prints, scans, (sends)faxes
>>> and the cardreader works too. In fact it works better than it did
>>> under windows, which was not at all due to some undiagnosable
>>> error, probably linked to my VIA USB chipset. But it works under 
>>> linux. Support HP, they support open source. Do check the
>>> individual model first though.
>> As I said before, I don't believe that HP *does* really support
>> open source. They do support RedHat.
> 
> Ah.  I think you and I, at least, were talking past each other
> before:
> 
> When I say "HP support Open Source" (in this discussion) I meant:
> 
> HP supply the drivers and information required to allow Open Source 
> software to fully support their hardware on any platform, in such a 
> way that they can't later revoke or restrict those capabilities.
> 
> When you say "HP support Open Source" I *think* you mean:
> 
> An end user can call HP and say "my printer doesn't work" -- and have
> HP work with them to fix the problem on any arbitrary Linux platform.
> 
> 
> 
> In other words: I, at least, was talking about "support" in terms of 
> technical information.
> 
> You seem to be talking about "support" as in "help desk support."
> 
> That probably explains the disconnection in our discussion; I feel a 
> little happier now understanding how we could have such opposite
> views on what I thought were some pretty plain facts. ;)
> 
Yes, you are absolutely correct. We were talking about different aspects
of 'support'.
> 
>> I work with them day in, day out and unless the machine in question
>> is running RedHat or Windows, they don't want to know. And then
>> only specific versions of RH or Windows. (eg at one time they
>> supported RHEL3 but not RHEL4, even though RHEL was, I think,
>> approaching 2 years old).
> 
> Well, RHEL /is/ supported for seven years from the day of release --
> at least in theory and contracts. :)
> 
Well, yes, RHEL version X is supported by RH from day one. However HP
don't support a new version for *ages* after it comes out. It's a bit 
restrictive.
> 
> [...]
> 
>> I've had several HP desktop printers and I don't think that I would
>>  buy another. I would not buy any other brand of Laser Printer
>> however, if I could help it. Horses for courses.
> 
> I would, personally, avoid the entire desktop printer area as well, 
> the wretched poorly made nasty costly things that they generally are.
> 
Yeah, again I've confused things. When I talk about desktop printers, 
that's generally for home use.

Cheers,

Cliff