Printing; Linux's one true disadvantage on the Desktop

[kaldor]

I have a bit of a rant but it's quite true.

Linux + printers = halfbaked results.

Linux uses CUPS. Mac OS X also uses CUPS. Now, I have a MacBook with the latest drivers for two of my printers. Everything prints very quickly and very high quality on both printers. Linux with CUPS and the latest official drivers prints very very slowly even on lowest settings and everything. On the Mac, a 15-page document took about a minute to print. On both OpenSUSE and Ubuntu, it took about 1 minute per page. And the quality is lower even on the best settings.

Why is this? It is really limiting Linux.

[tgalati4]

Half-baked is a good description. Rather than rant about it, provide some specifics in a support thread:

What type of printers?
What version of CUPS?
What type of file?
What program were you using to generate your report? Was it PDF? What version of PDF?

Linux can only get fully-baked with your help.

[kaldor]

I'm not trying to bash or anything; I'm just wondering why printing always seems to be a huge issue. The first time I tried it was with an HP deskjet from the mid-90's. It worked, but only poor quality and slow printing with Ubuntu. I figured it was just due to age and waited until I got a new printer. Same results even with drivers installed on an HP deskjet. I tried it on a few other distros on a Brother printer and the same Deskjet.

I'm not the only one who has had these complaints. It's been on all laptops/desktops/distros I attempted it on.

[kaldor]

I'm not trying to bash or anything; I'm just wondering why printing always seems to be a huge issue. The first time I tried it was with an HP deskjet from the mid-90's. It worked, but only poor quality and slow printing with Ubuntu. I figured it was just due to age and waited until I got a new printer. Same results even with drivers installed on an HP deskjet. I tried it on a few other distros on a Brother printer and the same Deskjet.

File types range from simple .txt documents to odt, doc, pdf, etc. PDF always ends up being MUCH slower, though.

I'm not the only one who has had these complaints. It's been on all laptops/desktops/distros I attempted it on.

[cariboo]

I've noted that pdf printing is slow, no matter which of my two printers I use, a Brother HL-5250DN or Epson R340, otherwise the performance seems to be on par with Windows.

The one thing I was amazed about, is that running Karmic+ the Brother printer was automatically detected, and closed source drivers from Brother were installed, all with me only having to tell the installer how many trays the printer has. :)

[RiceMonster]

I find printing frustrating on Linux too, which is especially bad because printing is frustrating in general.

I'm glad things are becomming increasingly paperless, so I have to print less and less as time goes by.

[ronnielsen1]

I haven't experienced a problem myself - lucky?

[Roasted]

Agreed. Connecting to certain network printers hosted on Windows servers can prove to be a royal headache.

Unfortunately, I always boot up a VM of XP and connect to Ubuntu through my XP VM via Samba, bring the files down, and print from XP.

Stupid, I know. But it's the easiest thing to get things printed quickly. Fortunately I only print out about 5-10 documents at a time per every 2 weeks. If it were an every day occurence I'd probably rage.

[Dragonbite]

I see it. I don't do a lot of printing but I do print some graphics and marketing materials and it isn't a smooth as it is in Windows with the proper drivers.

I pretty much stick with HP printers, I think they are supposed to have some of the better support.

Edit: I haven't printed in 10.04, so I don't know if that is better or worse.

[sydbat]

I see it. I don't do a lot of printing but I do print some graphics and marketing materials and it isn't a smooth as it is in Windows with the proper drivers.

I pretty much stick with HP printers, I think they are supposed to have some of the better support.

Edit: I haven't printed in 10.04, so I don't know if that is better or worse.The bolded part.

I have not had any problems with HP printers for any printing (yet...knocks wood) as they have been fully functional to this point.

Have not tried any other printers myself, but my 83 year old dad had a Canon that worked fine OOTB (on 8.04) until it died last year and he replaced it with an HP. He also has an Epson scanner that works wonderfully.

As with everything Linux, your mileage may vary.

[Zoot7]

I've given up on Linux for printing, I no sooner get my printer working, and then a bunch of cups related updates often take it out again. These days I just boot into Windows to print stuff.

[WinterRain]

Never had a problem using HP printers in linux. Very fast and great quality. Buy linux compatible hardware and you'll be much happier. Btw, lexmark now supports linux on all new printers they produce. They even put a tux logo on the box.

[WinterRain]

I've given up on Linux for printing, I no sooner get my printer working, and then a bunch of cups related updates often take it out again. These days I just boot into Windows to print stuff.

I take it your printer never worked "out of the box"? If you buy one that's natively supported, you won't have these issues. HP anyone?
I know at least 6 other people using HP printers in linux who have never had a problem. Don't blame linux if you are not going to buy compatible hardware.

[Zoot7]

I take it your printer never worked "out of the box"? If you buy one that's natively supported, you won't have these issues. HP anyone?
I know at least 6 other people using HP printers in linux who have never had a problem. Don't blame linux if you are not going to buy compatible hardware.
Haha, the typical "Worksforme" response. I guess I can rest easy now, knowing that your printer works for you. You just made my day, thanks!

Anyway, it's a HP printer FYI, it's been a mixed bag of results with Ubuntu, Debian, and Slackware, each of them sort of intermittently working for a while, but never working consistently in any of them as it does in Windows.

[WinterRain]

Anyway, it's a HP printer FYI, it's been a mixed bag of results with Ubuntu, Debian, and Slackware, each of them sort of intermittently working for a while, but never working consistently in any of them as it does in Windows.

You must have real bad luck then. It's very rare when an HP printer does not work well in linux. Save your money and don't bother with lottery tickets, as you'll wind up having to pay them. ;)

[sydbat]

Haha, the typical "Worksforme" response. I guess I can rest easy now, knowing that your printer works for you. You just made my day, thanks!

Anyway, it's a HP printer FYI, it's been a mixed bag of results with Ubuntu, Debian, and Slackware, each of them sort of intermittently working for a while, but never working consistently in any of them as it does in Windows.And, as tech support for family, I have had opposite results.

Same HP printer that I have (no probs - Linux), my dad has (no probs - Linux), my sister-in-law has (major probs - Windows). She is actually mad at me because she saw how well this all-in-one worked on my box and wanted the same model. 4 reboots (I'm not kidding) to install the Windows drivers and it still has less functionality than my father or I have.

She doesn't want to move to Linux because it scares her, even though her family doesn't use any "Windows only" products. Oh well.

[Dragonbite]

I found the printers would work for me out of the box better in Linux, but the quality to a full-set-up Windows/printer setup to produce better quality prints some and faster, and utilize some additional features.

[Wee_Guy]

Not entirely relevant but Macs definitely aren't perfect.
My Mac needed a full install of all the bloated junk that came with the printer, and then another to update it when it decided to stop working.
Ubuntu worked instantly without having to install a thing:D

[Roasted]

Haha, the typical "Worksforme" response. I guess I can rest easy now, knowing that your printer works for you. You just made my day, thanks!

Anyway, it's a HP printer FYI, it's been a mixed bag of results with Ubuntu, Debian, and Slackware, each of them sort of intermittently working for a while, but never working consistently in any of them as it does in Windows.

Talk about bad luck... HP should work with Linux relatively easy, actually.

[cariboo]

Print quality was always an issue that I had problems with, but as more manufacturers come on board with Linux drivers, that issue is going away. The two printers I use most often have just as many, if not more settings than their Windows counterparts.

The big problem I see is that printers have become a commodity item. if it stops working, or runs out of ink, it's cheaper to go buy a new printer.

I recently had a call from a customer about a printer that wasn't working properly, it turned out to be an intermittent problem that was fairly simple to fix, but after checking the price of the part and adding labor and taxes to the bill, the cost was higher than the price of a new printer.

[WinterRain]

after checking the price of the part and adding labor and taxes to the bill, the cost was higher than the price of a new printer.

Unless it's a high end printer, more times than not, it's not worth it to have it fixed. With some of the low end printers, the ink is actually the same price as the printer itself. Oh well.

[lancest]

Four year old HP 1020 usually works fine.
Sometimes a reboot is needed. (no such problem in 8.04)
HPLIP needed. Less than ideal on occasion.

Next printer will be throughly researched for Linux performance.

XP VirtualBox comes in handy too.

[nmaster]

I haven't experienced a problem myself - lucky?

me neither. in fact, i typically have better results than my friends who own macbooks. they typically have to get a disk and install the drivers, but i just have to plug in and everything works.

maybe we've just been lucky.

[Naiki Muliaina]

Cups isn't starting on start up in Lucid for me which sucks. I have a workplace office full of PC's that are waiting for the 8.04 to 10.04 upgrade because i have to open a terminal and put in a command to each one in start up. Yes that is a showstopper for me as im not giving all members admin passwords so they can 'sudo start cups'. I believe there's a workaround to the bug, but IMHO, workarounds cancel the 'just works' spiel to me. Ill wait until Lucid 'just works' with our printer before i do the upgrade.

To be fair aside from that never had a problem with printers in Linux and this is a Ubuntu problem, not a cups problem i believe.

[lordyosch]

I have a less than 1 year old HP laser which prints when asked. The quality doesn't seem as good through Linux as it does through windows, which is a shame.

-especially as the printer was £150 plus!


Jay

[ronnielsen1]

Seriously, last week I couldn't get something to print from win 7 (don't know why - it wouldn't tell me) and rebooted in Ubuntu and it took off. A long time ago I ran across a Lexmark printer (Since fully restored to glory)paperweight but I learned what companies to buy from.

[Dragonbite]

I read somewhere that LexMark has actually, quietly, been including Linux on its list of supported operating systems, and not just online but on the actual box!

Has anybody had experience with the latest LexMarks? They used to be Windows-only for a long time, but if they are working well with Linux, I'll take a look at one!

[Dragonbite]

Try printing from an iPad! They've finally figured out a work-around!
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1108/blogipadprintingbig.th.jpg (http://img684.imageshack.us/i/blogipadprintingbig.jpg/)

:lolflag:

[samalex]

I can't speak to the experience of the OP, but honestly I've had nothing but good luck with printing through Ubuntu 9.04. Our HP All In One printer worked outta the box on my laptop, even scanning which won't even work on my wife's OSX laptop running Snow Leopard. Also every networked printer at work works great over the network as does my HP LJ 5N at home via the network.

Granted every experience will be different, but I've been quite pleased with the "Plug and Play" experience with Ubuntu and Linux in general over the years since most of what I plug into it (scanners, webcams, printers, mice, digital cameras, ext drives, etc) work with zero setup. That's the way computing should be :)

Sam

[RiceMonster]

Try printing from an iPad! They've finally figured out a work-around!
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1108/blogipadprintingbig.th.jpg (http://img684.imageshack.us/i/blogipadprintingbig.jpg/)

:lolflag:

lol!