Starting on campus here its nice to have salvaged my old Laser Printer. Laser printers may still seem like elite only devices exclusive to office buildings but really they will save you a lot of money. Second hand Laser printers are very affordable and the toner will last for months, even years. By comparison ink jet printer are just a big scam. The printer itself may seem like remarkable value for money but the manufacturer are setting you up. They know their enormously expensive ink cartridges will last for about 2 sheets of A4. It’s dishonest and rather sad. On that note I have similar feelings about the HP Linux printer driver installer. For a start even if it works the first time, it will then stop working and you have to install it over and over ! The installation script is nonsensical clown show that somehow convinces you that a global company has to restrict themselves to the command line. Then almost as if to taunt you a GUI pop’s up eventually for about 3 seconds. So why not use that GUI from the beginning ?! DUUUHH ! Also the script takes AGES p**ssing around doing God’s knows what. NEWFLASH: Most companies these days (yes even what used to be one of the most avid haters of Linux, Microsoft) package their applications and drivers. In Debian based systems (Ubuntu) the software will install IN SECONDS and you’re off to go. But for some reason HP feels the need to torture me with this appalling installer (is it written by digruntled employees ? If it is, then I sympathise).
Lesson of story. If you need a printer get a Laserjet ! But make sure its from a manufacturer that is fully supportive of Linux.
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