Noname webcam detected, works for scan but not preview!
 

I'm running Kubuntu Karmic Koala 9.10. I just got a no-name USB webcam. It works fine under Windows. Under Linux the behavior is odd and a little frustrating. xsane does recognize it, but when I attempt to preview it or scan, I get the message "Failed to start scanner; invalid argument". Under skanlite, I can scan an image but if I attempt a preview, skanlite generates an internal error. The USB code is:
Unlike the other USB devices, no name shows up.

I'd like to use this device under Skype, but the Linux version of Skype doesn't provide any way to test whether the device works or not. Windows does provide such a test (via Welcome), and the webcam works correctly there.

How can I civilize this beast? Since xsane does recognize it, I would think there would be some hope.

? you try it with (cheese)or(wxcam)
does Kubuntu Karmic Koala 9.10. use
(gstreamer-properties)in the terminal
if yes you cam see if it comes on
click video try v4l or v4l2

Cheese and Skype work
 

It does work with cheese and also, it turns out, with Skype (though not 100% of the time). I haven't tried the other possibilities.

So at this point I'd say that my problem is solved, though I'm still curious as to why different scan programs should behave so differently with this webcam.