On Wed, 08 May 2019 19:47:37 +0000, Markus Robert Kessler wrote:

> - Are there alternatives as true Open Source drivers?
> I know that high end laser printers can be accessed via PCL or PS
> protocol, but not so with HP Fax Lasers.
>
There are no alternatives for HP printers AFAIK - just have to suck it up
and install the relevant CUPS drop in package from HPLIP. I did that when
my old LJ5 died and got replaced by an LJ-M402dne. It installed easily
and 'just worked'.

I don't think HP are particularly malicious: after all they sell hardware
and software, not advertising services or private data they've 'acquired'
by being an antisocial network.

It  *is*, however, worth knowing that all HP printers use dialects of the
same PCL printer control 'language' so, for instance all HP laserjets
accept the control sequences that earlier models, such as the LJ2, used.
IOW I could have just stuck with the old LJ5's CUPS setup if I'd not
wanted to use any of the M402's additional features, but as it supports
duplex printing (both sides of the page) and that was something I wanted,
I downloaded its specific support package from HPLIP.

The same standardisation applies to Epson printers as well, if they
accept Epson's Esc/P control language, which I think most do. My first
printer was an Epson MX-80 (80 character 9-pin dot matrix) that
eventually was replaced with a Stylus 850 colour inkjet. As it happened,
I had some very old programs that were set up for the MX-80 and these
produced identical results when connected to the Stylus. Somewhat later I
needed to print 1-up labels on a continuous backing, so I got an Epson
LQ-30 24-pin dot matrix printer, which also worked perfectly with
programs that thought it was an MX-80.

> Any ideas highly appreciated!
>
Just do it - get the HP driver from HPLIP. HP package them for easy
installation on mainstream Linuxes.


--
Martin    | martin at
Gregorie  | gregorie dot org

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