[TIP] Mint and Brother Printers

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Don't try to install an Brother printer with anything but the bash script they provide. What a pain. I'm not a fan of Brother printers.

Rick

 

[NJW]

I don't know why you're having so many problems with Mint.

In much the same way as modern Windows, the vast majority of printers will work – to some degree, at least – without any intervention from the user. When the printer is connected, it is detected and set up. Scanners may not be included in this (for AIO printer/scanner), usually because a proprietary firmware blob is required, which cannot be freely distributed.

Brother has offered very good Linux support for a long time. That they also include a script to automatically fetch and install drivers for all of the detected device functions should be something to celebrate – not complain that you have to use a script. If you don't want to use the install script, you can download and install the .deb packages for printer driver, CUPS wrapper and scanner separately and install them yourself, but why would you?

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

I decided to answer this. If I want to complain about something, I will. That is my decision and mine alone. I have two problems with Brother. A bash script IS needed wherein I did not need one for an Epson. Hopefully this next one has changed. Brother had a policy years ago when I called technical support to keep me on the line till I was ready to hang up. They did this until I told them I was going to get a hold of our Senator and suggest a law to prevent support stalls by forcing companies to offer a refund after 30 minutes of phone tech support.

I probably shouldn't have answered this and just let it go.

Rick

 

[britechguy]

If I want to complain about something, I will.

And remember that the same applies to the readership, including complaining about other complaints.

 

[GTP]

I've had no problems to speak of with any Brother/Mint combination.
Admittadly, I've only had maybe 3 Brother printers to install for clients but they always "just worked."

 

[NJW]

I decided to answer this. If I want to complain about something, I will. That is my decision and mine alone.

No problem with that – if I had, I'd have pressed the 'Report' button. But if you complain in an open forum, expect rebuttals from those who don't experience things the same way.

I have two problems with Brother. A bash script IS needed wherein I did not need one for an Epson.

So things are different between Brother and Epson – kind of expected, really, otherwise we'd be buying one printer, co-branded 'Brother-Epson'. I can assure you that it's only a couple of years since you had to really run around to get Epson scanners working in Linux, including extracting the firmware from the Windows driver installer, but enough whataboutery.

And you really don't have to use that Brother script, but you do have to install the .deb packages in the correct order.