Warning about Canon PIXMA iP3000/iP4000 series printers

Vincent

Distinguished
Jan 13, 2004
49
0
18,530
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers,comp.os.linux.hardware (More info?)

We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
quite so much on ink. The whole printer ink jet market, until now,
has been a scam, making you spend an average of $40-$60 buy new print
heads and cartridges for all three colors because one color runs out.
That is like having to replace your gas tank, fuel pump, radiator,
water pump, windshield washer tank and wiper motors, because you ran
out of gas or got too low on radiator fluid. Oh, and by the way,
there are no gauges, or transparent tanks, and no way to check the
fluid levels. Just one idiot light that says you are low on one of
your fluids. Time to replace all of the above to make sure you get
the right one.

The PIXMA printers are the first ones we have seen that have separate
transparent cartridges for each color that you can see the ink level
in and are easy to refill or replace without buying a new print head.

However, Canon is trying to make sure you pay royalties to Apple or
pay Microsoft to run on an insecure system full of spyware in order to
use their printers. There is no printer control language (PCL)
documentation or PPD files available. I called Canon's tech support
at 1-800-828-4040 and they refused to provide any technical
documentation to run their printers. Charlie, the supervisor I spoke
with, said that they did not have that information, and that to have it
would be of no use to them. I said, "Having the PCL documentation to
provide to people in the open source community so that they can write
drivers and open the market of millions of potential customers for
your printers from the NetBSD, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and Linux communities
is of no use to you?" For the most part, he kept evading questions
about his statement. He also said they write their own drivers even
though he kept claiming that they did not have the specifications to
write drivers. He said the printers are made in Japan and they are
the only ones who have the driver documentation. Yet he also claimed
to have no email address or phone number to contact the branch in
Japan.

In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
order to use their printers.


--
Avoid the VeriSign/Network Solutions domain registration trap!
Read how Network Solutions (NSI) was involved in stealing our domain name.
http://inetaddresses.net/about_NSI.html
 

ray

Distinguished
Aug 14, 2001
630
0
18,980
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 19:44:15 -0500, Vincent wrote:

> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
> first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
> quite so much on ink. The whole printer ink jet market, until now,
> has been a scam, making you spend an average of $40-$60 buy new print
> heads and cartridges for all three colors because one color runs out.
> That is like having to replace your gas tank, fuel pump, radiator,
> water pump, windshield washer tank and wiper motors, because you ran
> out of gas or got too low on radiator fluid. Oh, and by the way,
> there are no gauges, or transparent tanks, and no way to check the
> fluid levels. Just one idiot light that says you are low on one of
> your fluids. Time to replace all of the above to make sure you get
> the right one.
>
> The PIXMA printers are the first ones we have seen that have separate
> transparent cartridges for each color that you can see the ink level
> in and are easy to refill or replace without buying a new print head.

I recently bought an Epson Photo R320 - it has six individual ink tanks,
and there is a utility 'mtink' which shows ink levels on the computer.
Canon is well known in the Linux community for making boat anchors.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

If you do your research before you buy, you will find out exactly which
operating systems are supported.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Printing & Imaging



"Vincent" <newsposting1@crel.us> wrote in message
news:lcrpe.25872$DC2.6751@okepread01...
> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
> first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
> quite so much on ink. The whole printer ink jet market, until now,
> has been a scam, making you spend an average of $40-$60 buy new print
> heads and cartridges for all three colors because one color runs out.
> That is like having to replace your gas tank, fuel pump, radiator,
> water pump, windshield washer tank and wiper motors, because you ran
> out of gas or got too low on radiator fluid. Oh, and by the way,
> there are no gauges, or transparent tanks, and no way to check the
> fluid levels. Just one idiot light that says you are low on one of
> your fluids. Time to replace all of the above to make sure you get
> the right one.
>
> The PIXMA printers are the first ones we have seen that have separate
> transparent cartridges for each color that you can see the ink level
> in and are easy to refill or replace without buying a new print head.
>
> However, Canon is trying to make sure you pay royalties to Apple or
> pay Microsoft to run on an insecure system full of spyware in order to
> use their printers. There is no printer control language (PCL)
> documentation or PPD files available. I called Canon's tech support
> at 1-800-828-4040 and they refused to provide any technical
> documentation to run their printers. Charlie, the supervisor I spoke
> with, said that they did not have that information, and that to have it
> would be of no use to them. I said, "Having the PCL documentation to
> provide to people in the open source community so that they can write
> drivers and open the market of millions of potential customers for
> your printers from the NetBSD, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and Linux communities
> is of no use to you?" For the most part, he kept evading questions
> about his statement. He also said they write their own drivers even
> though he kept claiming that they did not have the specifications to
> write drivers. He said the printers are made in Japan and they are
> the only ones who have the driver documentation. Yet he also claimed
> to have no email address or phone number to contact the branch in
> Japan.
>
> In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
> trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
> order to use their printers.
>
>
> --
> Avoid the VeriSign/Network Solutions domain registration trap!
> Read how Network Solutions (NSI) was involved in stealing our domain name.
> http://inetaddresses.net/about_NSI.html
>
>
 

zakezuke

Distinguished
Mar 4, 2005
593
0
18,980
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

> In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
> trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
> order to use their printers.

Boycotting the open source community? Me thinks you are barking up the
wrong tree.

ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/

I see the Pixus 4100 and 3100, which are the US Pixma 4000 and 3000
respectivly. These are binary only, not open source, but they are they
do have linux drivers. I'm told they even work with the 4000R, but
I've not tested this personaly as I'm a cheap bastard and only own the
iP3000 and mP760.

BSD couldn't tell ya, but but Linux drives exist. They won't help you
install them, or at least that's what they told me, but if your running
linux/bsd you should expect this.

I also read somewhere that old mac systems require something about
installing in classic mode? I don't know what that means, but could be
worth looking into. It might mean your cruddy pos old BJ drivers might
print on it.

Even if these drivers didn't exist you could always use TurboPrint.
Sure it's not open source, sure it costs about USD$39. But it is an
option.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 19:44:15 -0500, Vincent <newsposting1@crel.us>
wrote:

>However, Canon is trying to make sure you pay royalties to Apple or
>pay Microsoft to run on an insecure system full of spyware in order to
>use their printers

Install Zone Alarm (free firewall) and you can have it block all
outgoing traffic from those spyware. As far as the spyware's
concerned you have a lousy internet connection and can't transmit
anything at all.
--
When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already
too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX
To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net
 

zakezuke

Distinguished
Mar 4, 2005
593
0
18,980
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

> I use lexmrk and am considering switching to Canon for my next printer
> because Lexmark's mexican-made carts band too much. I do all my printing
> off-line and use a laser for web stuff. Does the spyware operate when the
> printer is not being used?

Good choice. Lexmark is one if not the most expensive printer to
operate per page, and doesn't justify it self with quality. Canon is
at the other end of the scale, where HP and Epsons are rather in the
middle. Each has their own charms and features.

I rather thought that Lexmarks phoned home, but this could just be Dell
printers. I've seen the Dell lexmark phone home, but they are polite
enough to tell you what they are sending.

My Epson from time to time has asked to phone home, I said no. It
never said why.

I have NEVER noticed my Canon trying to phone home. I'm not saying it
doesn't, only I've never see a firewall warning about the software it
installed.


Keep in mind that the parent is a frustrated rant about the existence
of Linux and BSD drivers. Frustrated due to deal with technical
support who love to give answers with many words but say absolutely
nothing. I am most empathetic, in fact I just had the bounce around
asking simple yes or no questions and getting conditional responces.
But it's inaccurate on the point of Linux drivers, they do infect exist
on Japan's ftp site. Hard to find as they are listed as being for the
Pixus where everywhere else it's the Pixma. I suspect they were
meaning that Windows is likely to get infected with spyware where linux
isn't a target.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Vincent wrote:

> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 .....
>
> The PIXMA printers are the first ones we have seen that have separate
> transparent cartridges for each color that you can see the ink level
> in and are easy to refill or replace without buying a new print head.

There were earlier models that had such tanks.
>
> In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
> trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
> order to use their printers.
>
Canon is, but others aren't. I discovered Turboprint has drivers for most of
the Canon models; they list the Pixma i3000, et al., as supported.

Check http://www.turboprint.de/printers.html for further information.

Al Preston
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Impmon (impmon@digi.mon) writes:
> On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 19:44:15 -0500, Vincent <newsposting1@crel.us>
> wrote:
>
>>However, Canon is trying to make sure you pay royalties to Apple or
>>pay Microsoft to run on an insecure system full of spyware in order to
>>use their printers
>
> Install Zone Alarm (free firewall) and you can have it block all
> outgoing traffic from those spyware. As far as the spyware's
> concerned you have a lousy internet connection and can't transmit
> anything at all.
> --

I use lexmrk and am considering switching to Canon for my next printer
because Lexmark's mexican-made carts band too much. I do all my printing
off-line and use a laser for web stuff. Does the spyware operate when the
printer is not being used?

Brendan
--
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

| We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 ....
| ....
| In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community
| and trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms
| in order to use their printers.

Vincent ....

I've been using a Canon Pixma iP3000 inkjet printer
under Debian GNU/Linux Sarge for about 6 months ....

It was configured through the KDE Control Center
to use the Canon BJ-7004 driver with CUPS ....

In the vernacular of linuxprinting.org
it seems to "mostly work" ....

There are some font-size issues when printing
from KDE applications that I haven't resolved
as yet but feel may be easily correctable
with proper font settings ....

This seems to be less problematic when printing
documents from gtklp instead of directly
through KDE ....

We bought this printer to use on an old Win98_SE machine
and I consider it a very nice bonus that it also
"mostly works" under Linux ....


--
Stanley C. Kitching
Human Being
Phoenix, Arizona

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

> In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
> trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
> order to use their printers.

http://www.linuxprinting.org/canon-faq.html#free_software_support

I don't even see the iP3000 in the printer database
(http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Canon). You might
consider adding what you know to it.

--
To reply by email, change "deadspam.com" to "alumni.utexas.net"
 

Larry

Distinguished
Dec 31, 2007
1,378
0
19,280
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

In article <1%wpe.267549$Yr4.53774@fe07.news.easynews.com>,
andrex@deadspam.com says...
> > In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
> > trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
> > order to use their printers.
>


There is a really BIG difference between being boycotted and being ignored.
I think probably Canon is doing the later, not the former.

Since Canon doesnt promise any support for other platforms, why would you
expect to get any?

A boycott requires concious effort, and I dont think there is any.


--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.
 

frederick

Distinguished
Aug 23, 2004
413
0
18,780
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Vincent wrote:
> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
> first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
> quite so much on ink.

But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium paper.
Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers? There is no free
lunch.
 

zakezuke

Distinguished
Mar 4, 2005
593
0
18,980
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

> But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium paper.
> Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers?
> There is no free lunch.

Why not Ilford? Will Ilford not last? I have many friends who used
the S520 with Ilford paper which IIRC uses the same ink.

So it's 64c a sheet. Ilford's Galerie fetches about 60c a sheet at
the local camera shop. Costco's Kirland paper made by a *cough*
unnamed Swiss maker for 15c a sheet.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:52:56 +1200, Frederick
<nomailplease@nomail.com> wrote:

>But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium paper.
> Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers? There is no free
>lunch.

9 out of 10 times a cheap photo paper will work. Just hang them
behind glass to prevent fading due to sunlight exposure.
--
When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already
too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX
To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 23:54:52 -0400, Impmon <impmon@digi.mon> wrote:

>On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:52:56 +1200, Frederick
><nomailplease@nomail.com> wrote:
>
>>But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium paper.
>> Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers? There is no free
>>lunch.
>
>9 out of 10 times a cheap photo paper will work. Just hang them
>behind glass to prevent fading due to sunlight exposure.

Polycarbonate will work better. It tends to block UV light better
than glass.
---------------------------------------------

MCheu
 

Vincent

Distinguished
Jan 13, 2004
49
0
18,530
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Cousin Stanley wrote:

> | We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 ....
> | ....
> | In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community
> | and trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms
> | in order to use their printers.
>
> Vincent ....
>
> I've been using a Canon Pixma iP3000 inkjet printer
> under Debian GNU/Linux Sarge for about 6 months ....
>
> It was configured through the KDE Control Center
> to use the Canon BJ-7004 driver with CUPS ....
>
> In the vernacular of linuxprinting.org
> it seems to "mostly work" ....
>
> There are some font-size issues when printing
> from KDE applications that I haven't resolved
> as yet but feel may be easily correctable
> with proper font settings ....
>
> This seems to be less problematic when printing
> documents from gtklp instead of directly
> through KDE ....
>
> We bought this printer to use on an old Win98_SE machine
> and I consider it a very nice bonus that it also
> "mostly works" under Linux ....

Thanks for the information. Can you tell us what maximum resolution
you are getting and what doesn't work when using the Canon BJ-7004
driver?

--
Avoid the VeriSign/Network Solutions domain registration trap!
Read how Network Solutions (NSI) was involved in stealing our domain name.
http://inetaddresses.net/about_NSI.html
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

I do think that Canon Photo Paper Pro is about the very best and also
very expensive. I now use Costco/Kirkland Glossy Photo Paper and I find
that with OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th the cost.
The basic difference is in the finish. Canon is like a pond frozen
without wind, a still sheet of glass. Costco is like a pond frozen with
a 3mph wind.

I have also tried Epson matte paper and it is just find. I do prefer
glossy for 4x6 and since I put enlargements behind glass I do not see
the value of a matte finish.

Frederick wrote:

> Vincent wrote:
>
>> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
>> first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
>> quite so much on ink.
>
>
> But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium
> paper. Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers? There is
> no free lunch.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

measekite wrote:

> I do think that Canon Photo Paper Pro is about the very best and also
> very expensive. I now use Costco/Kirkland Glossy Photo Paper and I find
> that with OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th the cost.
> The basic difference is in the finish. Canon is like a pond frozen
> without wind, a still sheet of glass. Costco is like a pond frozen with
> a 3mph wind.
>

Hmmm, very poetic illustrations - and the figure of 98% quoted, obvious-
ly, was done with scientific measuring instruments ;-). Okay...

I find that with my non OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th
the cost (Where have I heard that before?). And The basic difference is
in the finish. Canon inks are like Don McLean's "Vincent" - "Flaming
flowers that brightly blaze swirling clouds in violet haze". And my
non-OEM inks are more Donovanesque: "Color in sky prussian blue, scarlet
fleece changes hue, crimson ball sinks from view." Though some have
argued that they're more like in the Mamas & Papas song "All the leaves
are brown and the sky is grey".

And you cannot buy Canon Photo Paper Pro paper for a song, even though
its quality (my opinion) is nothing to whistle at. Left unprotected in
light, Photo Paper Pro prints will quickly turn "A Whiter Shade Of
Pale". All around, it's no better than any of a dozen or so papers I've
tried, sometimes worse. And OEM or non OEM ink makes little difference.

-Taliesyn
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

zakezuke wrote:

>>But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium paper.
>>Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers?
>>There is no free lunch.
>>
>>
>
>Why not Ilford? Will Ilford not last? I have many friends who used
>the S520 with Ilford paper which IIRC uses the same ink.
>
>

Some say that Costco/Kirkland Glossy paper made in Switzerland is mgf by
Ilford. It may even be to the same specs and Gallerie but in any event
it is real good; especially at 15 cents a sheet.

>So it's 64c a sheet. Ilford's Galerie fetches about 60c a sheet at
>the local camera shop. Costco's Kirland paper made by a *cough*
>unnamed Swiss maker for 15c a sheet.
>
>
>
 

frederick

Distinguished
Aug 23, 2004
413
0
18,780
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Impmon wrote:
> On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:52:56 +1200, Frederick
> <nomailplease@nomail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>But if you want your prints to last, you should use Canon premium paper.
>> Have you checked the price of Canon premium papers? There is no free
>>lunch.
>
>
> 9 out of 10 times a cheap photo paper will work. Just hang them
> behind glass to prevent fading due to sunlight exposure.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,105461,pg,3,00.asp

Not up to date with the latest printers, but you still might find it
interesting.
I think your 9 out of 10 may be optimistic, but that of course depends
on what "will work" means.
 

BURT

Distinguished
Apr 7, 2004
712
0
18,980
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Why Taliesyn, I didn't realize that, in addition to being one of the most
pragmatic people on this NG with regard to printers, inks, and papers being
only a means to an end, your writing ebbs and flows as a great river that
brings life and beauty to all creation. Your alliterative phrases recall
Hemmingway's descriptions of his surroundings as he participated in a hunt
or a fishing trip. So glad that Measekite, through his flowery description
of Canon paper and OEM inks, inspired this gifted response. I have
actually found the Kirkland Glossy photo paper to be 2.549 (rounded to three
decimal places) percent better than Canon Photo Paper Pro, and the MIS inks
to be within the same color spectrum at a 97.554991 accuracy level on my
$29,000 digital spectrometer. These results, mind you, are obtained at
1/7th the cost for the paper (per Measekite's extremely accurate
calculation) and 1/12th the cost for inks as compared to retail, or 1/9th
the cost if compared to Costco (per measekite's previous posts).


"Taliesyn" <taliesyn4@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:11aeb5ahfqh3h74@corp.supernews.com...
> measekite wrote:
>
>> I do think that Canon Photo Paper Pro is about the very best and also
>> very expensive. I now use Costco/Kirkland Glossy Photo Paper and I find
>> that with OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th the cost. The
>> basic difference is in the finish. Canon is like a pond frozen without
>> wind, a still sheet of glass. Costco is like a pond frozen with a 3mph
>> wind.
>>
>
> Hmmm, very poetic illustrations - and the figure of 98% quoted, obvious-
> ly, was done with scientific measuring instruments ;-). Okay...
>
> I find that with my non OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th
> the cost (Where have I heard that before?). And The basic difference is
> in the finish. Canon inks are like Don McLean's "Vincent" - "Flaming
> flowers that brightly blaze swirling clouds in violet haze". And my
> non-OEM inks are more Donovanesque: "Color in sky prussian blue, scarlet
> fleece changes hue, crimson ball sinks from view." Though some have
> argued that they're more like in the Mamas & Papas song "All the leaves
> are brown and the sky is grey".
>
> And you cannot buy Canon Photo Paper Pro paper for a song, even though
> its quality (my opinion) is nothing to whistle at. Left unprotected in
> light, Photo Paper Pro prints will quickly turn "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".
> All around, it's no better than any of a dozen or so papers I've tried,
> sometimes worse. And OEM or non OEM ink makes little difference.
>
> -Taliesyn
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Burt wrote:
> Why Taliesyn, I didn't realize that, in addition to being one of the most
> pragmatic people on this NG with regard to printers, inks, and papers being
> only a means to an end, your writing ebbs and flows as a great river that
> brings life and beauty to all creation.

Then I must thank Measekite, for he truly inspires us all to write
"creatively".... inspired, perhaps, by his very creative use of logic,
fact, and misinformation. And besides, who wouldn't be happy with
printer inks and papers that are "98%" as good as OEM; or in your case,
a little less at 97.554991 . . . :)

-Taliesyn
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

"Vincent" <newsposting1@crel.us> wrote in message
news:lcrpe.25872$DC2.6751@okepread01...
> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
> first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
> quite so much on ink. The whole printer ink jet market, until now,
> has been a scam, making you spend an average of $40-$60 buy new print
> heads and cartridges for all three colors because one color runs out.
> That is like having to replace your gas tank, fuel pump, radiator,
> water pump, windshield washer tank and wiper motors, because you ran
> out of gas or got too low on radiator fluid. Oh, and by the way,
> there are no gauges, or transparent tanks, and no way to check the
> fluid levels. Just one idiot light that says you are low on one of
> your fluids. Time to replace all of the above to make sure you get
> the right one.
>
> The PIXMA printers are the first ones we have seen that have separate
> transparent cartridges for each color that you can see the ink level
> in and are easy to refill or replace without buying a new print head.
>

Wow! Where have you been ???
Canon printers have offered these individual tanks for many years including
almost all S and I series and many BJC's.


> However, Canon is trying to make sure you pay royalties to Apple or
> pay Microsoft to run on an insecure system full of spyware in order to
> use their printers. There is no printer control language (PCL)
> documentation or PPD files available. I called Canon's tech support
> at 1-800-828-4040 and they refused to provide any technical
> documentation to run their printers. Charlie, the supervisor I spoke
> with, said that they did not have that information, and that to have it
> would be of no use to them. I said, "Having the PCL documentation to
> provide to people in the open source community so that they can write
> drivers and open the market of millions of potential customers for
> your printers from the NetBSD, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and Linux communities
> is of no use to you?"

Well considering 'PCL' is HP's proprietary control code language, and Canon
BubbleJets use a BJ print Engine (not HP).
Charlie was right. Serious software developers also rarely ring up the
technical support center in search of firmware/software code and would
instead contact corporate R&D



>For the most part, he kept evading questions
> about his statement. He also said they write their own drivers even
> though he kept claiming that they did not have the specifications to
> write drivers. He said the printers are made in Japan and they are
> the only ones who have the driver documentation. Yet he also claimed
> to have no email address or phone number to contact the branch in
> Japan.
>

He said the Tech Support Center does not have the information available (and
why would they). I hardly see that as 'evading questions'
www.canon.com .... click on the map for Japan.

> In other words, Canon is boycotting the open source community and
> trying to make you run only on proprietory commercial platforms in
> order to use their printers.
>

No, it is called quality control and protection of intellectual property
rights.
Give Bill over at Microsoft a call and say "Hey Bill, Joe Blow here...how
bout getting that source code for your OS so I can write a couple pieces of
software". Manufactures (including Canon) have Developer programs. If you
want what is needed contact corporate, and request information on what it
takes to get on board.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

"ray" <ray@zianet.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.06.08.00.51.16.59858@zianet.com...
> On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 19:44:15 -0500, Vincent wrote:
>
>> We were considering buying a Canon PIXMA iP3000 because these are the
>> first printers we have ever seen that finally quit ripping people off
>> quite so much on ink. The whole printer ink jet market, until now,
>> has been a scam, making you spend an average of $40-$60 buy new print
>> heads and cartridges for all three colors because one color runs out.
>> That is like having to replace your gas tank, fuel pump, radiator,
>> water pump, windshield washer tank and wiper motors, because you ran
>> out of gas or got too low on radiator fluid. Oh, and by the way,
>> there are no gauges, or transparent tanks, and no way to check the
>> fluid levels. Just one idiot light that says you are low on one of
>> your fluids. Time to replace all of the above to make sure you get
>> the right one.
>>
>> The PIXMA printers are the first ones we have seen that have separate
>> transparent cartridges for each color that you can see the ink level
>> in and are easy to refill or replace without buying a new print head.
>
> I recently bought an Epson Photo R320 - it has six individual ink tanks,
> and there is a utility 'mtink' which shows ink levels on the computer.
> Canon is well known in the Linux community for making boat anchors.

That's odd, I know several folks with Canon printers on their Linux boxes.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Burt wrote:

>Why Taliesyn, I didn't realize that, in addition to being one of the most
>pragmatic people on this NG with regard to printers, inks, and papers being
>only a means to an end, your writing ebbs and flows as a great river that
>brings life and beauty to all creation. Your alliterative phrases recall
>Hemmingway's descriptions of his surroundings as he participated in a hunt
>or a fishing trip. So glad that Measekite, through his flowery description
>of Canon paper and OEM inks, inspired this gifted response. I have
>actually found the Kirkland Glossy photo paper to be 2.549
>

Will you please stop talking about your IQ?

>(rounded to three
>decimal places) percent better than Canon Photo Paper Pro, and the MIS inks
>to be within the same color spectrum at a 97.554991 accuracy level on my
>$29,000 digital spectrometer. These results, mind you, are obtained at
>1/7th the cost for the paper (per Measekite's extremely accurate
>calculation) and 1/12th the cost for inks as compared to retail, or 1/9th
>the cost if compared to Costco (per measekite's previous posts).
>
>
>"Taliesyn" <taliesyn4@netscape.net> wrote in message
>news:11aeb5ahfqh3h74@corp.supernews.com...
>
>
>>measekite wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>I do think that Canon Photo Paper Pro is about the very best and also
>>>very expensive. I now use Costco/Kirkland Glossy Photo Paper and I find
>>>that with OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th the cost. The
>>>basic difference is in the finish. Canon is like a pond frozen without
>>>wind, a still sheet of glass. Costco is like a pond frozen with a 3mph
>>>wind.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>Hmmm, very poetic illustrations - and the figure of 98% quoted, obvious-
>>ly, was done with scientific measuring instruments ;-). Okay...
>>
>>I find that with my non OEM ink I get about 98% as good results at 1/7th
>>the cost (Where have I heard that before?). And The basic difference is
>>in the finish. Canon inks are like Don McLean's "Vincent" - "Flaming
>>flowers that brightly blaze swirling clouds in violet haze". And my
>>non-OEM inks are more Donovanesque: "Color in sky prussian blue, scarlet
>>fleece changes hue, crimson ball sinks from view." Though some have
>>argued that they're more like in the Mamas & Papas song "All the leaves
>>are brown and the sky is grey".
>>
>>And you cannot buy Canon Photo Paper Pro paper for a song, even though
>>its quality (my opinion) is nothing to whistle at. Left unprotected in
>>light, Photo Paper Pro prints will quickly turn "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".
>>All around, it's no better than any of a dozen or so papers I've tried,
>>sometimes worse. And OEM or non OEM ink makes little difference.
>>
>>-Taliesyn
>>
>>
>
>
>
>