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Superboyac is throwing in the towel: I'm going to transition to Linux

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Carol Haynes:
I also have a wireless Brother HL-2270DW laser printer - I have to confess I haven't looked for that but it would need to work.
-Carol Haynes (March 01, 2012, 07:00 PM)
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You can find Linux drivers for most Brother printers (including the HL-2270DW) here
-xtabber (March 02, 2012, 09:45 PM)
--- End quote ---

Thanks - now I just need to find something for the Canon!

40hz:
In the end, I think the ultimate success of a project like this is dependent on two factors

1. Just how much and where you'll need to maintain a presence in the Windows landscape.

Simple truth is that transitioning to Linux is not purely a philosophical or political decision. There are practicalities to consider because available technology is also a key factor. If there's something that's Windows-only, you're always going to need to maintain a presence in Bill Gate's world. Same goes if you need to interface with other people who are exclusively Windows-based users. We are not islands.

If I only had to deal with my own requirements, I could easily move 98% of my computing and online life to Linux and not even blink. What little Windows I'd need to keep would be purely because there will always be apps (that will only run on Windows - or very inefficiently under emulation) I'd be reluctant to live without.

But because I have friends/family who look to me for tech advice and support - and a business that needs to interface with a much larger world - my actual day-to-day split is closer to 60% Nix to 40% Windows. (This ratio varies. But even under "ideal" circumstances, Windows always seems to require at least 15% of my computing space.)

So what does this mean? Simple. When I'm doing my "own thing" I'm almost always doing it exclusively under Linux. When I'm doing everything else, I'm at least 75% Windows no matter what.

I've since learned not to worry about it too much. I'm not into the politics. All I ask is that my personal systems "do" for me the way I want things done. As long as I've got my personal productivity space working that way, I'm happy.

2. The degree of sheer bloodymindeness you're willing to bring to the table.

Almost anything can be made to work with a sufficient investment of creativity, time, and hammer bashing. The real question is how much of that is worth it.

I don't know of any hard and fast rule for dealing with that. Once in a while I'll get my nose out of joint about not being able to do something. I'll then invest a ridiculous amount of effort into getting around it. But I've noticed it happens less and less often of late. Maybe it has something to do with me mellowing out a bit. Most likely it's more to do with me maintaining a dual-boot machine as my main desktop. ;)

Hear ye the words of a great sage:

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it."
  --  W.C. Fields

 8)

xtabber:
I also have a wireless Brother HL-2270DW laser printer - I have to confess I haven't looked for that but it would need to work.
-Carol Haynes (March 01, 2012, 07:00 PM)
--- End quote ---

You can find Linux drivers for most Brother printers (including the HL-2270DW) here
-xtabber (March 02, 2012, 09:45 PM)
--- End quote ---

Thanks - now I just need to find something for the Canon!
-Carol Haynes (March 03, 2012, 05:41 AM)
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Turboprint sells a printer driver utility for Linux that claims to support most Canon printers, as well as HP, Epson and Brother.

You may be able to find other, possibly free, alternatives here

Carol Haynes:
Turboprint[/url] sells a printer driver utility for Linux that claims to support most Canon printers, as well as HP, Epson and Brother.
-xtabber (March 03, 2012, 09:05 AM)
--- End quote ---

Yes I tried Turbo print on my last Linux outing - wasn't that impressed. OK it worked, but the output quality was crap and it only supported printing not multifunctionals.

I love the way the compatibility page points people to two Canon websites - one in Japanese that when you translate it is a 404 error and the other is the standard Canon download site - Canon don't (AFAIK) produce any Linux drivers - so why send people there looking for Linux drivers?

Sadly that compatibility page still reflects my experiences of every time I have tried Linux - the best I can hope for is a crappy piece of software that I have to purchase to get substandard printout or use a basic BubbleJet emulator - both of which mean I lose almost all none basic print functionality.

40hz:
Sadly that compatibility page still reflects my experiences of every time I have tried Linux - the best I can hope for is a crappy piece of software that I have to purchase to get substandard printout or use a basic BubbleJet emulator - both of which mean I lose almost all none basic print functionality.
-Carol Haynes (March 03, 2012, 10:49 AM)
--- End quote ---

Might be easier to throw in the towel on that Canon and get a printer that either uses PS/PCL - or has all its "smarts" running on the printer rather than on the host computer just to be done with it.

I find I'm having less and less patience with trying to get something not designed or ever intended to be used with anything other than Windows to work. Especially if it turns into too much of a hassle.



But it's not Linux's fault it won't work. Nor is it the manufacturers. Because they did say it was for Windows with no mention anywhere of Linux support. If we get burned on that, it's our own hubris to blame. (Linux does encourage us to believe we can do anything.)

Where I do get annoyed is when something originally did have Linux support, but dropped it later. HP used to be pretty good at doing that.

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