[plug] GDI printer

[Bret Busby]

Leon Brooks wrote:
> 
> Bret Busby wrote:
> > I am yet to find Linux
> > applications, and drivers, that work with a GDI printer.
> 
> Start here:
> http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2000-09-03-001-04-OS-HW-HL
> 
> BTW, GDI printers suck. They're cheap in all possible ways and blow up easily.
> 
> > Lynx is not the only Linux browser, you know;
> 
> <sarcasm weight=heavy>Can you imagine my surprise when I discovered
> this?</sarcasm>
> 
> Lynx does, however, show you the headers if you ask it to. And many other things
> that *none* of the graphical browsers will do for you.
> 
> --
> "Accurately delivered, a cream pie is an uncannily precise barometer
>  of human nature." -- Noel Godin, pie-throwing anarchist

Thanks for the pointer, about the GDI printers. It shows that it is
being done. However, from the article, it appears that it is a matter of
someone writing the device drivers, and the purpose of the article seems
to be giving hints that may be useful to device programmers, who write
drivers for printers. I am not ashamed to admit that, at this time, that
is way beyond me. Different people have their different areas, and,
systems programming is not mine. I have to rely on the work of others,
in that respect. 

However, this problem is not just limited to GDI printers. Trying to get
the printer manufacturers, who insist on changing their printer models
on almost a monthly basis, to advise whether older printer drivers (such
as Linux printer drivers), can be used on the available current model
printers, is a waste of time, as they might as well all be producing GDI
printers, with no interest in their printers running with any OS other
than MS Windows.

A good example, is trying to get Epson to advise whether any of their
current range of printers will run with the 640, 800, and so on, printer
drivers. Their answer, is to say, go and buy a driver, from this other
company. HP's response, even though they supposedly support Linux, and
have had their own version of UNIX, for years, is that they are not
interested.

This is unfortunate, as it could be a good marketing opportunity, for
the manufacturers to advertise "This printer runs with Linux", or "This
printer is compatible with any version of UNIX", or "This printer comes
with drivers for Linux, UNIX, etc", or, even, to say "printer driver
emulations: Epson 640, 800 (or, HP Deskjet 500C , (or, some other
printer for which a Linux driver gives "Perfect" results, from the
HOW-TO) )".

But, none of the printer manufacturers, or, not many of them, appear to
be interested in compatibility of their printers.