[H-GEN] Scanner & Camera & USB Under Linux

[Rick Phillips]

There has been some discussion about scanners under Linux.  Late this
afternoon, I installed the latest version of Mandrake (8.2) on my
upgraded PC.  This has AC97 Sound, an attached HP6200C Scanner (USB) and
a "PC-EYE" (may as well say no name) brand Video Camera.  Both were
plugged into my USB ports at the time of installation and switched on. 
I also have a Microsoft Explorer Optical Mouse.

I am pleased and delighted to say that both the Camera and Scanner were
correctly identified during install with ICONS placed on the desktop. 
Xsane works perfectly directly with the scanner and even places HP logos
within the various dialogue boxes.  The only problem I had was acquiring
an image from within Star Office which reports that the scanner is not
installed.  This is a small problem as I normally scan to file and then
manipulate/adjust the image with Gimp or similar before importing into a
document.

The video camera also works without a hitch and I will install
Gnomemeeting tomorrow to test it "in the field".

My only problem has been that while the AC97 Sound card has been
correctly detected and the sound server is running, not a moo issues
forth.  Perhaps someone can help me with this.

The only other problem was that my internal Zip 100 drive was
incorrectly installed as a drive hdd1 when it should have been sda4.  A
simple edit of the fstab file fixed that.

I am now convinced that despite what people say, Mandrake Linux at
least, has reached the stage where an office could survive with Linux on
a day to day basis at the desktop as well as server level.  As each
release comes along it gets better and easier to install to the point
where the MS Intellieye mouse is recognised and fucntions as it should
within seconds whereas the same device has to have special drivers (HID
- Human Interface Drivers) loaded into windows before it will function
properly.  This is interesting when one considers that it is an MS
product working within an MS op system.

I have now loaded MDK 8.2 on 4 of my office machines and I am delighted
with the outcome.  We use Evolution for Email, Star Office for WP and
the like, GIMP for image manipulation and CorelDraw for typesetting in
the rubber stamp manufacturing side of the business.  I just gotta find
some drivers for Linux to run our laser engraving machine.  Until then,
I have to maintain at least one Win box for that and one for QuickBooks.

My two cents worth!!

Rick Phillips
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