[CentOS] Canon MX870

Tue Mar 1 18:58:17 UTC 2011
David Sommerseth <dazo at users.sourceforge.net>

On 01/03/11 19:40, Boris Epstein wrote:
> Hello listmates,
> 
> I am considering getting this multi-functional printer (printer/scanner/fax):
> 
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6052773&CatId=2709
> <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6052773&CatId=2709>
> 
> Has anybody used it under Linux? What was that experience like?

After having had a Canon MP600 MFP device myself for some time, I would not
consider Canon at all.  Driver support in Linux is far from optimal.  You
got TurboPrint which kind of solves it, but on some platforms even
TurboPrint dies when printing too big documents.

Canon tried to do some open source driver stuff for the Asian market, and
trying to rebuild that was a nightmare on 64 bit, because they basically
just supported 32 bit.  And these drivers have not been updated for quite
some time.

I also don't see MX870 in the supported list in the "Open Printing" project
[1].  So I wouldn't bet on good support out-of-the-box.  A couple of the MX
printers are even classified as paper weights.

Personally, I'm getting rid of my Canon soon, and I'm going for a HP
printer.  It might not be the optimal vendor in regards to price.  Print
quality is usually good, though.  But they do support their devices with
open source drivers, which I do embrace.  Another brand I would consider is
Epson.

Sorry about the rant, but my Canon user experience in Linux is far from
good.  The MP600 is a great device, hardware wise (except lacking IPv6
support, even though the Canon support claims it has that).  But I do
expect decent Linux support nowadays, or else I'll call it crap.  So no
more Canon for me.  At least until Canon does a real open source effort.


kind regards,

David Sommerseth


[1] <http://www.openprinting.org/printers>