[Leaplist] Brother Corp. has a Linux Device Driver project

[John Simpson]

On 2007-02-17, at 1223, "pberry2"@cfl.rr.com wrote:
>
> Brother has a page  about support for their products, in Linux!
>
> http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/
>
> We have a MFC-240 multi-function printer, scanner, fax, copier,  
> color ink jet.
>
> Linux drivers specifically built for that printer would be a 'good'  
> thing.

you talk as if they don't exist. in fact, the web page you point to  
contains the following drivers for the MFC-240C units:

- LPR drivers

- CUPS wrapper driver (which uses the LPR driver)

- SANE scanner driver (use the "brscan2" package)

- PC-FAX Send LPR driver (when you send a print job to the unit using  
this driver, instead of going to paper it sends it as a FAX)

- PC-FAX Send CUPS wrapper driver (which uses the LPR driver)

the printer i sold to dan cherry at the installfest, an MFC-420CN,  
works with the drivers on that page. the printer i have sitting next  
to me, an MFC-440CN, also works with drivers from that page.

i guess i don't understand your statement, that "Linux drivers  
specifically built for that printer would be a 'good' thing." the  
drivers are right there, waiting to be downloaded.

> Otherwise, I am quite pleased to continue using my 1992 Macintosh  
> Select 360 laser printer as the main unit here.  It gets 4,000+  
> prints of excellent quality, out of a $19.00 toner pack (new, on  
> eBay, including shipping!).
> It just printed it's 4400th page, with a lifetime expectancy of  
> 300,000 printouts.   The first toner pack lasted from 1992 through  
> to 2006, and did 4,297 printouts.
> Cost was $12 for the RAM expansion, and the $19 toner.

not really fair to compare a laser with an inkjet... although a toner  
cartridge lasting 14 years is certainly worth mentioning. i've never  
seen one last longer than about three years.

> Found an MFC-8500 at a garage sale, and might grab it, as it is  
> supposed to be Linux ready.  It is a laser multifunction unit.  If  
> drivers are there for it, I might go for it.  $24.00 but, I will  
> check the built-in database for use and tests.

the same web page has the LPR, CUPS, and SANE drivers for this unit  
(no PC-FAX Send drivers though.) given brother's support for linux  
with their more recent models, i would feel pretty confident that the  
drivers for the MFC-8500 will work as well.

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| John M. Simpson    ---   KG4ZOW   ---    Programmer At Large |
| http://www.jms1.net/                         <jms1 at jms1.net> |
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| http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198 |
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