[Klug-general] Kent Digest, Vol 464, Issue 1

[Brian Reay]

Well, we live in a free world plus, in the scheme of things, we Linux 
people are very much a minority. As a believer in freedom, I'm not sure 
I believe in 'forcing' companies to release information for purely 
commercial reasons. Safety etc. is, of course, another matter.

As it happens, BTW, Samsung are one of the good guys. They have a 
"Unified Driver", which does the business for my Laser printer, inc. 
CUPS support, and works with my Airprint modifications, which allow me 
to access my system printers from my IOS devices.

Brian




> So why can't someone who can *force* answers ask the printer manufacturers
> (Samsung, are you listening?) to explain *honestly* why they don't
> ship CUPS compatible drivers with their products?
>
> This whole driver problem is purely down to the makers of peripherals
> and their bleat of "Linux is a niche market" is just evasion.
>
> I'd like to see one of those Competition Commissioners in Brussels
> start banging heads together.
> Why aren't they?
>
> Sorry about the tone but there are too many people with lots of power
> who simply won't use it for some reason.
>
> Tom
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Brian Reay <brian.reay at gmail.com>
> To: Kent Linux User Group - General Topics <kent at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 4:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [Klug-general] Kent Digest, Vol 464, Issue 1
>
>
>> True.
>>
>> But, don't forget things like printers, video cards, etc. Not all have
>> drivers which are 'nice' to install for Linux (a point Linus T
>> acknowledges). People like us recognise that isn't really a true Linux
>> issue, it is the vendors who don't supply the information or develop
>> drivers, or we can find drivers and install them via the command line
>> etc. However, your average Windows/MacOS user expects them to either to
>> just 'be there', come with the printer, or be available from the makers
>> website. Suggest he/she needs to open a terminal, type (to him/her) a
>> load of 'black magic nonsense' and chances are they will reach for the
>> Windows 8 CD (Yuk).
>>
>> We like the 'black magic' but, most users don't. They just want a
>> machine to do a 'job', they don't 'get off' on the 'black magic' (so to
>> speak), they are odd. ;-) Worst of all, many are beyond hope odd, they
>> think Windows 8 is good.
>>
>> Brian
>>
>>
>> On 22/09/14 15:24, Gavin Coles wrote:
>>> The way to get people in to Linux is a long term issue, the best way for
>>> my own experience to start with software that has cross platform
>>> availability.  So Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice and like.  Once you
>>> can show that everything they need for their day to day use is available
>>> on another platform they they are more willing to try dropping Windows.
>>>
>>> On 22/09/14 15:15, kent-request at mailman.lug.org.uk wrote:
>>>> Don't forget the issue of the average user (employee). They will almost
>>>> certainly use Windows Applications at home, or have come from employers
>>>> which use them, or educational establishments which taught them.
>>
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>
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