Ubuntu

Why is there a severe lack of multfunction printer drivers for ubuntu?

Asked by bobmac

I have a Canon MF5750 which I purchased before I had even heard of Ubuntu and which works perfectly well with Windows (XP). I approached Canon for a driver for ubuntu. They were simply not interested in linux drivers.

I wonder why Ubuntu can't put some pressure on the printer manufactures to create such drivers or build them as part of the distribution.

My reasoning behind this is that I would dearly like to move away from Windows BUT as long as I can't print, scan or fax from Ubuntu, I'm stuck.

The usual response to a question like this is 'Well go get a compatible printer'. Unfortunately, as an old age pensioner I simply can't afford to amble out to the local printer shop and spend hundreds of dollars on a duplicate piece of equipment.

I have tried the Turboprinter site as I don't mind paying for a driver (as long as it's not too expensive) but they didn't even bother to reply to my request.

Any help in this area would be gratefully appreciated.

Bob

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Sidarth Dasari (sirsid) said : 		#1

The whole deal is that the "Ubuntu" you are referring to is basically us. Me, you and all the other users of this OS. We would love there to be more drivers, but there are still not enough Linux users for some companies to release drivers. The alternative is to find an interested developer who could start work on a driver, but those are very hard to find.

You can send an email of to canon about the lack of drivers. Hopefully if enough people do this, they will release something.

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