[TriLUG] Good budget priced inkjet for Linux?

[Lee Fickenscher]

Robert,
I generally wouldn't recommend a sub-$100 printer to my worst enemy as
"you get what you pay for" is never more true than it is for printers...
I would also usually recommend HPs as I have had great luck with them
under linux. Also, I think you'll find that there is no printer
manufacturer that is amiable to 3rd party cartridge suppliers as they
make more money from the cartridges than they do from the printers.
That being what it is, the Epson Stylus C82 should work wonderfully
under Linux. I have a C60 (or 80, can't remember) that was the
predecessor to the C82 and it worked great... the first time I used it
(only). Epson print heads are part of the printer, not the cartridges.
So if something happens to the heads, you have to send the printer in to
get fixed or something equally inconvenient. HP however, puts the heads
on the cartridges, so that if something happens to the head, you replace
the cartridge and keep on trucking. If you want to avoid HP because of
their 3rd party policy you will want to avoid Lexmark like the plaque. I
believe it was Lexmark that actually invoked the DMCA on a cartridge
refiller... go figure... So IMHO you'll want Epson or HP. Print quality
seems the same, except under gimp, where Epson drivers wipe out all
competition. BUT, like I said... I had an epson that sat for a couple of
months between prints and never printed again cause the heads got
clogged... Choose yer poison.
GL,
Lee

On Fri, Apr 11, 2003 at 03:57:33PM -0400, Robert Floyd wrote:
> After driving myself crazy trying to get my SuSe laptop to talk via
> Wi-Fi to my old HP 712C DeskJet (hooked up to a Win98 box...long story),
> I've decided to investigate a newer printer with, perhaps, better Linux
> support. Here are my parameters:
> 
> -- under $100
> -- decent photo printing
> -- plays well with Linux
> 
> I'd like to avoid HP, if possible, as I'm not a fan of their nastiness
> regarding third-party cartridge suppliers.
> 
> What suggestions do the folks here have?
> 
> Robert Floyd
> Durham, NC
> 
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