[NBLUG/talk] Ubuntu printer question

Steve Bursch sbursch at sonic.net
Wed Sep 26 11:58:49 PDT 2007


I'm running Ubuntu 7.04 on an older Intel machine.  I'd like to purchase and install an HP printer for the system.  I have in mind an inexpensive HP Deskjet D1341 printer.  While doing the research, I noticed that the Deskjet D1341 wasn't specifically mentioned in the list of supported HP printers in the Ubuntu "Add a printer" dialog.  However, the HP Deskjet D1300 is supported.  If I select the HP D1300 as the printer, will the D1341 functionality be supported?

The version of the HPLIP software on the Ubuntu machine is 1.7.3.  According to a list of Linux-supported printers at http://hplip.sourceforge.net/supported_devices/combined.html , the HP DJ D1341 is fully supported and requires HPLIP 1.6.6, or greater.  That HP list also gives the "Print Class" of the D1341 as "DJ3320".  It so happens that the HP Deskjet 3320 is mentioned in the Ubuntu "Add a printer" dialog.  Would it be better to select the HP Deskjet 3320 as the printer choice, rather than the D1300, given that the D1341 is not a selection option?

Also, I'd like to share the printer with other Windows machines in my home network.  To accomplish that, would it be best to physically attach the D1341 to a Windows machine and configure the Ubuntu machine to look for the shared printer on that Windows machine?  Or would it be better to physically attach the D1341 to the Ubuntu machine and configure the Windows machines to look for the shared printer on the Ubuntu machine?  Can the latter even be done?

Please pardon my ignorance in these matters, but I find the Linux printer setup confusing, especially since the printer I want to use is not listed in the "Add a printer" dialog.  I would really like to embrace Linux and move away from Windows, but getting decent printer support is crucial while I make the transition.

Thanks in advance...Steve




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