Root can scan into Gimp, no problems... but user logged in does not detect scanner when Gimp aquire through xsane it says no scanner detected. Seems to be a permissions problem, but adding user to group root does not help... have noticed similar issue with other applications in different distros, which is the reason I am still wandering from distro to distro searching for the perfect one.

I think you need something like this in fstab if it is connected by usb;
/dev/sda /mnt/scanner vfat noauto,ro,user,exec 0 0

I'm running SCSI, but the point is, if root can scan, users should be able to scan... the hardware works, it's Linux that is screwed up... When it comes to Windows, I consider myself advanced... why does Linux have to be so difficult to get things to work? I can install a different distro, and my scanner works fine but my printer may not work... I can load a 3rd distro and the scanner and printer may work, but floppy disks won't format... it is very frustrating, to say the least.... and Linux will never seriously challenge Windows in the Desktop environment until an average user can install from CD and everything work with no problems... believe me, I want Linux to succeed ... I am just a realist....

In order for users to have access to my parallel port scanner the device "/dev/parport" permissions must be set correctly.
If your scanner were a parallel port scanner then you might try "chmod 777 /dev/parport".

Hope this helps.

That is the reason it is harder for someone to compromise your system.Its just a learning curve,change of thinking and a pain sometimes.

try giving the scanner 777 permissions

Linux isn't screwed up, it sets permissions for things - the default might just not be what you want it to be. It would be easier to get certain things to work if hardware vendors would write linux drivers rather than leaving it to amateurs in their spare time. Windows does everything for you - including many things you didn't want it to do. Linux does exactly what you tell it to. It just takes time to learn.

Or even 666, which is more appropriate. Who the hell wants to execute a scanner?

How do I do that? I imagine in the /dev directory there is a driver file for the scanner, but I am not sure how to tell which one... I tried a chmod 777 * for all files and subdirectories from the root directory, and boy did that screw things up... I want to be a little more selective next try

This worked for me thanks to everyone.
The program named sane-find-scanner pointed me to /dev/sg0. Then I chmod 666 /dev/sg0 . Now other users than root are able to use my SCSI HP ScanJet 6100c scanner.

Now I just need to figure out how to get the GIMP to Aquire the scanner or xsane source.