[plug] FW: Re: HP Scanjet 4070 scanner driver enquiry

[Bret Busby]

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004, Jim Householder wrote:

> 
> Hi
> 
> There may be hope yet.  This is the reply I got when I asked for a
> driver for my new HP Scanjet 4070.
> ----------------------------------
> 
> >Dear James, 
> >
> >Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.
> >
> >We appreciate your interest in HP Scanjet product drivers for
> >your computer.  Currently, HP offers drivers for all Scanjet 
> >products in Windows 98.  Drivers for selected products are available
> >for Windows 95/ME, Windows NT/2000, Windows XP and Macintosh OS.
> >Currently HP does not support any Scanjet product in the Linux
> >operating system.  The development is in the pipeline and will
> >be released soon.
> 
> Should I hold my breath???
> 
> >As per Hewlett Packard policy, Customer Care representatives
> >cannot discuss products (or features)that have not been officially
> >announced.
> >
> >Your inquiry will automatically be registered as a formal request
> >for this Scanjet product driver.  Please be aware that the
> >acknowledgement of your request does not represent a commitment
> >by Hewlett Packard to develop the desired software or solution.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >Elvis
> >HP Total Care
> 
> 

And I thought that Elvis was supposed to be only a figment of people's 
imagination.

However, I think that his response is a bit of a figment of 
someone's imagination....

My understanding is that any scanner that has TWAIN support, will 
operate okay with Linux, using (I think) SANE.

We have an HP ScanJet 5200C (one of the good, old ones, that looks big 
enough to be a real scanner), and, while I have only used it with Win98, 
it is supposed to be TWAIN compliant (or whatever the term is, for being 
compatible with the TWAIN interface).

We have an HP PSC 1350 multiple device thing, and, from memory, the 
Linux driver for the device, is spposed to allow scanning into Linux.

I think that you would be better looking for the appropriate Linux 
HowTo, rather than going to the device manufacturer. Linux hackers are 
way ahead of manufacturers. A few years ago, I spoke to the state 
manager for Epson, who was not aware that any Epson printers would run 
with Linux, and, told him of the web site that showed Linux drivers for 
particular Epson printers, and, gave ratings for compatibility of listed 
printers, with Linux (the Linux Printing HowTo). Similarly, with 
digital cameras, when the manufacturer says that the camera is only 
compatible with particular versions of Microsft Windows, by doing an 
appropriate search (another method of finding Linux drivers and 
compatibility for hardware), it was found that the way to access a 
digital camera with Linux, is simply to connect it using USB cable, and, 
mapping (or mounting?) the camera as a USB storage device, and, away you 
go. Simple.

So, I suggest that you look for a Linux Scanner HowTo, and, possibly, do 
a google search using the keywords "Linux" and "scanjet 4070", or, just 
Linux and the model number.

You will likely get much better results than contacting the hardware 
manufacturer.

But, that is just my opinion.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
 you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
  Chapter 28 of 
  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
  written by Douglas Adams, 
  published by Pan Books, 1992 
....................................................