The frustration of Linux

David Margison

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Hello Everybody, I installed Ubuntu 16.04 about 18 moths ago. If I can give you a little history, I first bought a personal computer when I was about 30 years old (I’m 64 now), it was a “Colour Genie EG 2000” if I remember right it had 32m ram. With this, a dot matrix printer, cassette recorder - (hard drive) and monitor, I taught myself ‘Basic’. Later I got my first windows 95 tower system, a pentium p60, this time learning DOS and HTML I built several websites, I still do build websites. Last year I decided to learn how to code Python, just for interest, to keep learning. So that’s me.
Right now I have a Sony Vaio HD 3D Laptop i7 64bit running dual boot Win 7 and Ubuntu 18.04.

A while ago I became disillusioned with Microsoft, their forced updating of windows systems to windows 10 their move to an intrusive app based operating system and cloud based programs wasn’t for me, I have programs I’ve bought and love that I didn't want to lose, with the help of a great free little program, I managed to stop my Win 7 being replaced. I started to look for alternatives, to my surprise operating systems are obviously so difficult to build that there is literally little choice. After reading a lot about Linux, I eventually loaded Ubuntu 16.04 onto a memory stick to try, I expected it to work as a slow hard drive but soon found it was not possible to write data to the stick, which meant it wasn’t really usable. So, I bit the bullet and did a full dual boot install. From the off there were difficulties, no video codecs and printer problems, no worries I think, I can do this, took me ages to source the codecs and install them, I eventually managed to install a printer, Epson Stylus Photo 2100, I know it's not a modern printer but it works well, cartridges are still available and it prints great A3 photos, anyway it works perfectly on Windows. The install was only partly successful, it gets confused with portrait and landscape, It doesn't like printing web pages etc. I recently bought a new Brother laser printer, not a chance of installing it, can’t spend any more time looking for answers, yes I have CUPS, yes I have Gutenprint. Updated to Ubuntu 18.04 a few days ago hoping it would solve the printer issues, nope, no printers work any more, a search of Ubuntu tells me I’m not the only one suffering this, so back on the forums, using terminal I removed drivers so as to reinstall them afresh, reinstalled CUPS and Gutenprint, all to no avail. I love the open-source ethos of Linux, the privacy, the community feel, I love using Thunderbird Mail, Gimp, Bluefish Editor, Firefox, Shotcut etc, but if someone like me, a reasonable amateur, after many hours of trying can’t solve these problems, what hope is there for ordinary PC users, what hope is there for the Linux operating system to make inroads into the domestic or office market? I have to switch between operating systems to get things done. Widows by the way took about 15 seconds to install the Brother Printer.

I think it’s the nature of the people involved in Linux and open source generally, if I say Geeks, I'm not being insulting, it’s just that I wonder what would happen if someone with a commercial brain and outlook was given the task of producing a Linux OS which straight out of the box just works. It is so close yet so far, I want to dump Windows but I can’t, I don’t like or want to use android but have to, couldn’t a Linux cross platform OS be developed to work on PCs, tablets and phones, what’s stopping the development of a multi device operating system? I know the talents out there, it just needs managing, I for one would be prepared to pay for such a development. Hope I haven’t offended anyone, love to hear any thoughts on this.
 


Hey there @David Margison - welcome to the site!

I understand your pain and hope you're able to find a solution for your brother printer soon. Which model is it by the way? Someone on here may have the same one and give some pointers on setup.

Is this printer plugged in directly or are you using it as a network printer?

Thanks,
Rob
 
Hey there @David Margison - welcome to the site!

I understand your pain and hope you're able to find a solution for your brother printer soon. Which model is it by the way? Someone on here may have the same one and give some pointers on setup.

Is this printer plugged in directly or are you using it as a network printer?

Thanks,
Rob

Hi Rob thanks for replying, I am using an Epson stylus photo 2100 and a Brother laser printer model HL-11 Since upgrading to 18.04 a few days ago the Epson no longer works. I have them connected through USB I use one at oncee.
would have replied sooner but just got back home. Thanks again
 
Last edited:
Me again (surprise)

Can you tell me - can't find a Brother HL11 but rather HL1110 and HL1111 - can you confirm?

Wiz
 
Me again (surprise)

Can you tell me - can't find a Brother HL11 but rather HL1110 and HL1111 - can you confirm?

Wiz

Hi thanks for replying, yes the Epson sort of worked under 16.04 but the Brother I never managed to install. I went to the link suggested above for Brother support I downloaded the install helper program, followed the instructions, used terrminal to extract it but got the error no file or folder by that name found. The file is in downloads, I opened the terminal in downloads so I know it's looking in the correct place. Will have another go so it's fresh in my mind then post the result, I spent a good bit of time last night going round in circles

Thanks again
p.s.
Oh on the back of the Brother says HL11 but I think its a HL1110
 
Try this. OK it says Linux Mint but that is not too far away from Ubuntu: https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/15
If you get stuck let us know the details.

The Epson. Sometimes when you update and upgrade and it installs a new Linux Kernel printers seem to stay with the old Kernel and stop working. Sometimes you just need to install again.

I have an Epson Perfection Photo V600. The light in the lid does only works on Windows so it is no good for negatives or slides on Linux - but the scan bit does work.
 
G'day David :). You have enough to keep you busy but when you get a chance

used terrminal to extract it but got the error no file or folder by that name found.

... hook into Terminal and use your up arrow key to scroll back to the command you typed and let us know what it was.

Also on your OP (Original Post) -

but soon found it was not possible to write data to the stick, which meant it wasn’t really usable

We have a concept called Persistence which allows us to create a reservoir on a USB stick (built for Live Install) to save data from one session to another. You can read about it here

https://www.pendrivelinux.com/what-is-persistent-linux/

and here

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/14912/create-a-persistent-bootable-ubuntu-usb-flash-drive/

Unetbootin and Linux Live USB Creator are two of a number of products that provide for this facility, which can be applied to many, but not all, Linux Distros.

Maximum storage space that can be applied is 4GB under usual circumstances (a limitation of FAT32, not Linux), but there is a workaround if you have need of it.

Cheers

Wizard

... and it's Friday here in Oz, so all

Avagudweegend
 

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