PDF vs Printers

Wed Apr 23 00:44:22 UTC 2008

On 04/22/2008 03:50 PM, Jeffrey Tooker wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: ubuntu-users-bounces at lists.ubuntu.com [mailto:ubuntu-users-
>> bounces at lists.ubuntu.com] On Behalf Of NoOp
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 3:13 PM
>> To: ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
>> Subject: Re: PDF vs Printers
>> 
>> On 04/22/2008 10:05 AM, Phil Bieber wrote:
>> > On Tue, Apr 22, 2008 at 5:51 PM, Jeffrey Tooker <Jeffreytooker at msn.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > <--snip-->
>> >
>> >>  > If you do not have foomatic installed; from a terminal:
>> >>  >
>> >>  > sudo apt-get intall foomatic*
>> >>  >
>> >>  > should do the trick.
>> >>  >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>  NoOP:
>> >>
>> >>  Thank you for the info.  It should fix mt problem.  I take it by your
>> post
>> >>  that Foomatic package of drivers is onboard when 7.10 (fully updated)
>> is
>> >>  installed and that the command line entry then loads them into the
>> system.
>> >>  The reason for this question is that I will probably take my Lexmark
>> (old
>> >>  Printer) out to my offline machine.  And get an HP all in one for my
>> online
>> >>  machine.
>> >>
>> >>  Jeffrey Tooker
>> >>  Paynes Creek Ca.
>> >
>> > Hi!
>> > Actually, the command posted will install every package starting with
>> > foomatic. apt-get is the command line version of synaptic.
>> > To answer your other question, foomatic is partially installed by
>> > default. There are some filters missing, but those are installed when
>> > you do the "apt-get install foomatic*".
>> > If you want to install those packages on your second, internet-less
>> > mashine, you can download the *.deb files from packages.ubuntu.com and
>> > install the. But beware, there might be other packages that are needed
>> > before you can install foomatic. You can check, if foomatic is on the
>> > installation cd and use that as a repository.
>> 
>> Or, buy an old used 4-5 port hub or switch and connect the two machines
>> together. Better yet, buy a router with a built-in firewall if you don't
>> have one already, and connect them that way.
>> 
>> I'd recommend installing the lexmark on your connected machine first to
>> learn how to: 1) install it, 2) ensure that it works, and 3) use it
>> until you buy a new printer. You can then easily move it to the other
>> machine.
>> 
> 
> NoOp:
> 
> Sounds like a plan.  The modem I have from my ISP has a fire wall in and
> wierless capabilities.  I am out with the off line machine practicing
> command line, commands.  

For now, I'd recommend that you just invest in some standard Cat5 wire
and work on connecting the two together using hardwire via your ISP
router/modem. If you can provide the exact model perhaps someone can
help determine how best to use it to connect your systems together.

Wireless in linux is an altogether different beast... I'd also recommend
that you temporarily configure the two systems side-by-side so that you
can compare between the two systems. You'd be surprised how much easier
life is when you have two systems together; one to work with, one to
test/play with. You can then easily look at the working system's
monitor, look at the other's monitor, make changes etc.

I noticed that the "apt-get install foomatic*" has
> an asterisk.  I assume it is part of the code line, does it have a function?

That just means that it will install all of the foomatic packages. You
can refine this by using Synaptic and searching on foomatic. I only
offered that because at this stage it's easier than trying to tell you
which foomatic packages may, or may not, work with your printer.

Question(s):

Have you connected the printer and attempted to install it via
System|Administration|Printing|New Printer? It could very well be that
you already have the necessary files installed already. If so, what
were/are the results?

> I have the book "The Official Ubuntu Book" from the library.  I know from
> nothing about Linux/Ubuntu.  I was looking at Amazon for Ubuntu books and
> came across "Ubuntu For Non-Geeks.  It seems about as basic a starting point
> as one can get.  Do you have any ideas?

I've not seen it, but I'm sure that it's a fine book. However, keep in
mind that in today's electronic world, the systems have moved well
beyond those referenced in published books. I keep a copy of "Computer
Networks - Protocols, Standards, and Interfaces by Uyless Black" on my
bookshelf to remind me of this. Well, that and the nostalgic fact that
it makes reference to networks that I used to help design back when X.25
was king, and the cable networking technology of today was Token Bus...

I suggest that you also spend time reviewing the Ubuntu online
documentation:

https://help.ubuntu.com/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/
http://www.ubuntu.com/support

Overall, I think you're doing a fine job of testing & learning about
Ubuntu/linux. Now that you have Thunderbird working, I'd recommend that
you look at the list via the gmane news server rather than standard
email. That way you can easily look at the subject threads, sort and
search by topic, etc., etc. You can do this by adding the news.gmane.org
nntp server to your Thunderbird setup and then subscribing to
gmane.linux.ubuntu.user.

http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community/mailinglists
and other such links aren't particularly helpful in telling you how to
do this. So in TB select Edit|Account Settings|Add Account (bottom of
left pane)|Newsgroup Account| and when you get to Newsgroup server
enter: news.gmane.org

Once you've added the news server, you will see new.gmane.org in the
left panel along with your standard email accounts - right click on
news.gmane.org and then click 'subscribe'. In the top box that shows
"Show items that contain" enter ubuntu. Scroll down to
'gmane.linux.ubuntu.user' and tick the box on the right. Click "OK'.

Now in the TB All Folders pane you will see:

news.gmane.org
  gmane.linux.ubuntu.user

click  gmane.linux.ubuntu.user and you can then see this message list
via nntp (load all of the headers).  For $500 and title to 1 acre of
your property, tomorrow I'll tell you how to post to the list using TB
and gmane.org :-)