[CentOS] Need tip on an inexpensive printer for college student using CentOS 5.5

[Robert Heller]

At Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:06:38 -0400 CentOS mailing list <centos at centos.org> wrote:

> 
> John R Pierce wrote:
> >   On 08/16/10 11:50 AM, David McGuffey wrote:
> >> Sending my son back to college with a dual-boot laptop with Win 7 and
> >> CentOS 5.5.  He uses Win7 to manage his iPod and SW that sometimes
> >> issued by a professor for a specific course...otherwise he uses CentOS
> >> for everything else. That setup worked well last year, except for
> >> printing. He has a low-end Cannon printer that is not supported in the
> >> Linux realm.
> >>
> >> Most of his coursework was uploaded to "Blackboard" and rarely did he
> >> have to print anything.  On the rare occasion when he had to print a
> >> paper/briefing, his work-around was to build the paper/briefing in OO,
> >> save in Office 2003 format on a USB drive, boot to Win7, load in MS
> >> Office and print to the Cannon printer. I'm looking to clean that mess
> >> up for him before sending him back to school.
> >>
> >> Looking to buy an inexpensive printer he can use on both sides of this
> >> laptop.  Any suggestions?
> > 
> > campus doesn't have all sorts of networked printers?!?   I know the CSU 
> > my son goes to has printers all over the place.
> > 
> > Most Brother printers have Linux support, so do most HP printers.
> > Brother's B&W Lasers have the cheapest per page costs of about any 
> > printer out there, they are ugly but they just work.
> 
> Many of the low end HP laser printers have Postscript built in, so Linux 
> can talk directly to them. Otherwise, I use CUPS with Gutenprint to do 
> the translation. If you can stretch the budget, even the CP1518ni Color 
> Laserjet is often available for less then $300. After you factor in the 
> cost of ink vs. toner, the laser comes out costing less in the long run.

Yes, HP *Laser* printers are OK.  It is their *Inkjets* that suck, both
because of driver stupidity *AND* wicked *expensive* ink carts -- HP seems
to have the highest priced ink jet carts and is *very* 'protective' of
their supplies market -- they forced Staples to NOT carry third-party
ink carts for their printers, threatening to withdraw HP as a brand of
printer Staples could carry (smells like Kodak's Brownie games way back
when). 

> 
> Bob McConnell
> N2SPP
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