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

[allan]

I think *all* inkjets are cash cows for the cartridge manufacturers.
Just my two cents.
Allan

Robert Heller wrote:
> 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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