The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Discussion of all things technological and/or gadgety
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toad
Posts: 2645
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:00 pm

The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by toad »

Anyway I ordered a Canon PIXMA MG2120 just before I installed Linux Mint 14 for AMD64 bit to kill the Rootkit virus in my Vista OS.
I wanted the flat bed color scanning feature for some documents. If I had the money I'd have ordered a color laser set up because of the blood price ink on the inkjet printers. Anyway I kept fumbling around trying to get a driver to work. Apparently, if you go by percentages, your best bet for the OS is a Brother printer but still check before you buy.
I've ended up buying a commercial package after trying their free trial version. It took me a while to grok the controls on the printer and not forgetting to set parameters on the software printer control, yada, yada. Much intemperate language was expended at my self and instructions. I've just sent the payment off for the license key which brings up another worry. It is from a firm in Germany and the price was in Euros. Lord knows what the exchange rate is going to be.
Zedonet,
Turbo Print for Linux at www.turboprint. info, 29.95 Euros.......
Gad's I need to go on oxygen or something. :cry:
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Erik
Posts: 3426
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:36 pm

Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by Erik »

toad wrote:I've just sent the payment off for the license key which brings up another worry. It is from a firm in Germany and the price was in Euros. Lord knows what the exchange rate is going to be.
Zedonet,
Turbo Print for Linux at http://www.turboprint. info, 29.95 Euros.......
Unless I'm totally mistaken, you should multiply by 1.27 to get US$, so around $38 give or take.

Worst part of buying between US and Europe is usually shipping, customs and taxes, they can easily cost as much as what you actually ordered. But for a license key you wont have to deal with that.
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid."
John Wayne
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Denis
Posts: 6570
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:29 am

Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by Denis »

Wow. Linux has reached the mainstream, if you can now buy commercial drivers for it. Thank you for spending euros!

I never had any problems with using the drivers supplied with the various distros, but then I don't have a fancy new printer, just an HP Laserjet 1100A, which must be ten years old at least. The only catch is that Linux doesn't have the drivers to operate the scanner attachment on my printer...
toad
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:00 pm

Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by toad »

The saving grace of the Canon PIXMA MG2120 printer is that the scanning controls are on the printer. You can scan and print without the driver. One thing that is kind of aggrevating are the power saving features. It will shut itself down after a bit and I'll forget and try to print something from online and then nada. It doesn't have OCR but I didn't need that. The driver pretty much can do everythng else.
I was thinking with so many Linux servers out there that the printer companines would be making more linux drivers?
The problem that I'm having is that there seems to be too much information on Linux and the upgrades come so fast that it is like trying to hit a moving target. I don't need a WINE sudo get app as much as I need a WHINE sudo explain it to me get app.
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Rich
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Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:11 pm

Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by Rich »

Go to the Software Manager and download "XSANE" to access the scanner. Dunno if it works with your Canon or not, but might. And it's free.

You should also have a program called "Simple Scan" available right now. Access either through the Graphics menu.
A weak government usually remains a servant of citizens, while a strong government usually becomes the master of its subjects.
- paraphrased from several sources

A choice, not an echo. - Goldwater campaign, 1964
toad
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:00 pm

Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by toad »

Well Simple scan didn't work I suspect the Cannon isn't going to be a scanner but just a document copier and printer.
Oh well, It has enabled me to copy the documents I need to prove identity and residence and mail them out to the Credit Reporting Agencies to correct and update my address.
It only took one telephone call to get the glitch caused by the malfuncion of the Texas DOT drivers license computer fixed but the credit agencies seem to want to keep you messed up.
I need to get a hard copy book on Linux Mint with good screen shots and just start working through it. The "Users Guide" is a bit to abreviated for me and I don't want to waste the ink printing it out.
By the end of May I hope to purchase a scooter and will be trying do dechiper the lanuage in the owners and service manuals, which can be a combination of Chinglish and mistranslated Italian or Thai these days. Yay! Another round of RTFM hell.
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Rich
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Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by Rich »

Don't hold your breath waiting for a Mint specific book. The users guide is what there is. Otherwise, log onto the Forum to ask any specific questions.

If you absolutely must have hard copy, look at the Ubuntu books, although you have to be careful as to what version is being covered.

And stay away from "Linux for Dummies." That thing is an atrocity unto itself.
A weak government usually remains a servant of citizens, while a strong government usually becomes the master of its subjects.
- paraphrased from several sources

A choice, not an echo. - Goldwater campaign, 1964
toad
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:00 pm

Re: The Search for Driver or I can't RTFM!

Post by toad »

I found a Kindle eBook on Mint. It looks to be the Mint users guide with better screen shots so I went ahead and spent the $3 on it.
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