[Gllug] Printer recommendations

[John Winters]

Dylan wrote:
 > ...and one which will be reatively
> straightforward to get set up with CUPS / sane ...

On which front, I recently had to (remotely) help my elderly father set 
up a new printer on his PC.  He primarily uses Linux (after much 
insistence by me because if you let him loose on a Windows box he can 
get it infected with 50 different viruses in 10 minutes), but for 
historic reasons it still dual boots into Windows.

He had managed, with the assistance of a visitor, to get the printer 
working under Windows.  Much careful following of instructions and 
inserting of the CD which came with it.

His primary problem getting it working with Linux was his refusal to 
believe how simple it was.

Me:  Plug the printer into the computer.
Him: Before or after I put the CD in?
Me:  Don't bother with the CD.  Just plug the printer in.
Him: Hang on.  I'm just putting the CD in now.
Me:  No, don't bother with the CD.  Just plug the printer in.
...
eventually...
Him: OK - I've plugged it in.  Now what?
Me (with the benefit of VPN access to his PC to check.): That's it - 
it's working.
Him: But how do I install it?  What's the next step?
Me:  There isn't a next step - you just plug it in.

Even I was startled about just how simple it is these days.  I haven't 
installed a printer in years because I have a printer attached to my 
network server and every machine I connect to the LAN just picks it up 
automatically.  I didn't realise it had got that simple for local 
printers too.

John
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