Printing headache

[toyfactory]

Hello, I hope you're all having a trouble-free weekend (or at least have
turned the computer off and have gone and done something a little less
frustrating!)

My current "issue":  I have installed my printer and printed a test page
from the System Configuration Printing window.  The Open Office Print
dialog displays correctly "Type CUPS:DeskJet-5650", but when I click
Print absolutely nothing happens.  I checked in Open Office Printer
Administration and my printer is there as the default printer, but
clicking Test Page doesn't do anything.

I can print from GEdit, and presumably other Gnome applications.  But
until I can print from OO, Gimp and Firefox my Ubuntu box is nothing
more than a time consuming DIY project that irritates my girlfriend (who
wants a computer that just works).

I'm determined to get this system up and running but it is quite obvious
a lot of hard work is necessary before "it just works".  And at this
rate it's going to be a very long time before my (reasonably computer
literate) dad can be convinced that Linux is a usable desktop system. 
Anyway, that's just my two Euros worth.  I want to get my printer
working properly, in Open Office, Firefix and the Gimp.  Any suggestions
or recommendations for further reading?

Thanks,

Nick