[CentOS] Re: The scariest set up of all: Printer Support -- [OT] Consumer Beware!

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Thu, 2005-08-18 at 22:36 -0700, Craig White wrote:
> Suggest that if you intend to buy a printer to use on Linux, you consult
> the resources before you buy a printer

Actually, given that Windows Vista is around the corner (next year),
it's very likely the printer you buy now will not work on it, or will
require you to pay for a driver upgrade.  In fact, XP 64-bit has that
problem right now (dearth of peripheral drivers).

It's all about the "Superstore Model."  90% of American consumers
believe that if they upgrade any one of their computer, OS, software or
peripheral, that if it forces an upgrade of any of the other 3, then
they might as well get new for all 4.  That's what peripherals now cater
too, and that's why the BIOS-less PC and the host-based/software-driven
peripheral are almost as Windows version-specific as the OS and
applications these days.

Again, just an OT rambling.  But the investments in Best Buy by
Microsoft previously, and the immediate distribution changes that
occurred as a result, were not coincidence.  And it's not coincidence
that most peripheral vendors are more than happy to work with this
"superstore model," and even other software vendors have gotten in on it
(e.g., AOL investments in Circuit City, etc...).

Let the buyer beware, for _any_ OS.  ;->


-- 
Bryan J. Smith     b.j.smith at ieee.org     http://thebs413.blogspot.com
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