[plug] GDI printer

[Bret Busby]

John Breen wrote:
> 
> >However, this problem is not just limited to GDI printers. Trying to
> >get
> >the printer manufacturers, who insist on changing their printer
> >models
> 
> This is indeed the case, although I have generally found that most
> manufacturers do (still) provide some sort of list in their manual of
> "what drivers to try if you can't get ours" - something which dates
> back to the DOS days when every program had to provide its own way of
> talking to the printer.
> 
> At least my last non-GDI printer did this, and I assume others do...
> 

The problem is that it is in the manual, and not generally in the
advertising flyers, to any great extent. If I know, for example, that an
Epson 640 or 800 printer, or, a HP Deskjet 500C, printer, apparently
works well with Linux, trying to find emulations of these, for current
range printers, is almost impossible. And, shop staff generally know
only that the printers are things that get plugged into computers, and
into power points, and turned on, paper put into them, and then you
press print (in Windows), and printed paper magically comes out of the
printers. My experience, in trying to find what printer drivers work
with Epson of HP printers, in their current ranges, is "Dur, don't
know". And, that is from both the shops, and, the technical support
people from the printer manufacturers.

There is no point, in buying a printer, on the off-chance that it may do
the job. We should be able to find, before buying, whether a printer
will do the job.

I can't do that, from either the shops, or, from the printer
manufacturers because either they don't know, or, they are not
interested, so, I just don't waste money by buying printers that may or
may not do the job.

Thus, I am stuck with the GDI printer, until the shops and the
manufacturers, provide pre-sales support for their printers, and know
what they are trying to sell.

-- 

Bret Busby

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