![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.gratuitousscience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/Massimo-meh.jpg\" "\\"Massimo-meh\\"")
<\/a>\nI just parked that venerable printer in the attic.\u00a0 And I brought down my 11 year old Mustek 1200 III EP flatbed scanner so I could use it again… but I’m getting ahead of myself.<\/p>\n
Here’s an instance where Linux is vastly superior to Windows.\u00a0 Here is what installing the printer consisted of in Windows:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Inserting software DVD<\/li>\n
- Accepting HP licensing agreement and installing 200MB driver file<\/li>\n
- Connecting USB cord to printer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
That was actually the easiest printer installation I’ve ever done under Windows.\u00a0 No crapware came bundled with the printer, as it did with my last HP printer.\u00a0 I didn’t have to remove a “registration” reminder from my startup programs or uninstall another useless installation of Adobe reader.<\/p>\n
And here, for comparison is what installing the printer consisted of in Linux:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Connect USB cord to printer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Yes, that’s where Linux shines.\u00a0 A coworker of mine told me recently she was given an HP combo printer\/scanner\/copier\/fax machine.\u00a0 It was supposedly worth over $1000.\u00a0 She wasn’t able to find the software to install on her Windows PC, so she couldn’t use it and threw it out.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.gratuitousscience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/facepalm-225x300.jpg\" "\\"facepalm\\"")
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\nThe worst thing about that is that she has a partition with Ubuntu just waiting to sink its teeth into a good combo printer\/scanner\/copier\/fax machine.<\/p>\nOh well.<\/p>\n
So, on to my 11 year old Mustek 1200 III EP flatbed scanner.\u00a0 It predates USB.\u00a0 It’s parallel port.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.gratuitousscience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/cbscon_PC_ParallelPort-300x217.jpg\" "\\"cbscon_PC_ParallelPort\\"")
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\nAnd the driver CD I have is for Windows 95\/98 and (helpfully) Windows 3.1.\u00a0 Mustek did release a Windows XP driver for it, which I know because I had that scanner hooked up to my old music computer for a matter of days just before it died.<\/p>\nSo now my old scanner is hooked back up to my old computer… my very first PC.\u00a0 It missed it, I could tell.<\/p>\n
Now here’s an instance where Windows is vastly superior to Linux.\u00a0 Here is what installing the scanner consisted of in Windows:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Connect scanner to PC’s parallel port<\/li>\n
- Boot computer and insert Mustek installation CD<\/li>\n
- Agree to licensing agreement and install drivers and other software<\/li>\n
- Reboot PC (a must with Windows 98)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
And here, for comparison is what installing the scanner consisted of in Linux:<\/p>\n
- \n
- <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
I didn’t install the fucking scanner in fucking Linux because there ain’t no fucking Linux driver for my fucking Mustek 1200 III EP flatbed scanner.<\/p>\n
Seriously, I’ve heard people claim that Linux supports every piece of hardware out there.\u00a0 Bullshit.\u00a0 My scanner is not supported!<\/p>\n
And what a majestic machine that old Mustek is.\u00a0 It’s SLOOOOOOOOOOOW.<\/p>\n
How slow?<\/p>\n
- <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Connect USB cord to printer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n