31–40 of 308 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
How is the Linux support for Epson printers? The big thing for HP is their good support for Linux.
"Good" Linux support means being able to just download a PPD and shove it into CUPS. AFAIK HP is the only one that requires their own crappy GUI on top.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
How is the Linux support for Epson printers? The big thing for HP is their good support for Linux.
"Good" Linux support means being able to just download a PPD and shove it into CUPS. AFAIK HP is the only one that requires their own crappy GUI on top.
Are there any open hardware printers in the making? I seem to recall some open hardware cell phone projects. No reason a similar effort couldn't be directed towards making an open printer, is there? Also, it might not even require making a full open hardware printer, but just some key circuitry and maybe some drivers, right?
HP and others have a lot of patents in that space with an army of lawyers to defend them unfortunately. It would have to avoid using anything coming close to these patents...
We used to own the stuff we paid for! Now it's like you pay to be the product. I think this problem is worse in software.
Checkout fsf.org
There's the Epson Eco-Tank series. Ink is in four bottles at the side of the machine, good for about 4000-6000 pages. Refill with Epson ink bottles or (a bit more messily) from bulk ink. The printer costs about $279. You do have to clean the print heads occasionally. That's the price of long life print heads.
You can also buy mods for printers (I have a http://www.rihac.com.au/ ) to give them proper ink reservoirs. When I got mine done (a canon) they requested my old empty cartridges, as they just grab the chip out of them and trick it into thinking its always full.
Are there any open hardware printers in the making? I seem to recall some open hardware cell phone projects. No reason a similar effort couldn't be directed towards making an open printer, is there? Also, it might not even require making a full open hardware printer, but just some key circuitry and maybe some drivers, right?
HP and others have a lot of patents in that space with an army of lawyers to defend them unfortunately. It would have to avoid using anything coming close to these patents...
For example, the OKIPAGE 4w costed $300 at the time and was a compact, fast 600 dpi BW printer. http://my.okidata.com/MarkInfo.nsf/DocID/C9A90C0CF5943EBB852...
I think that laser technology of the 90s was simple enough that it could be reimplemented these days without too many problems. And I will be happy to pay €300 for a provably open laser printer that does do tricks like simulating empty toners or printing tracing dots https://www.eff.org/pages/list-printers-which-do-or-do-not-d...