Canon vs Linux
I love ubuntu linux, but recent experiments with unsuspecting friends had led me to conclude that it is going to be a long and arduous time before there is mainstream acceptance for it.
Hey, ubuntu linux is the best, most amazing linux distro that there is. It installs in seconds, respects you as a user (ie no DRM crap), offers amazing possibilities and doesn’t cost a penny. And yeah, it has no games in it, either; not as many as in MSFT, at least, which, for me, is a bonus.
But there is still reluctance: a few months ago I got together with a friend who wanted some linux in his HP 64 bit laptop. The installation was a breeze, fast, efficient, the kind that makes you think that linux is definitely going to stay here for a while, to kick some ass.
It was that cool: Beryl? Easy. Repositories? Done. He even got a little bit about it, getting rid of the chains that Microsoft imposes on users.
All went well, until the beginning of last week, when he wanted to attach a printer. And then it all went to hell. He wanted a Canon, these printers being some sort of family tradition. But no!
Canon printers suck: the only available solution was spending some money on drivers and stuff, and then installing that thing. My friend and I tried that option, which, as expected, didn’t work.
So, he got rid of Canon, and is buying either an HP or a Dell. Something with open source drivers and more respect for the customer. Can you imagine the market that canon would tap if they released drivers for the canon, in some sort of linux flavor? By ignoring this market, they are just pushing the users away, opening doors for competition, and generally being regarded just as big goofy sort of a company. They might be giants, but they are goofy giants. Who can respect that?