I can't even follow the steps outlined in the Similar Threads. I have an HP LaserJet 4100 Monochrome Laser Printer which IS compatible with the Puppy 4.0 distro of Linux I am running of a Live DVD. Supposedly, I installed the appropriate driver successfully. Then, I went to the Welcome Page for Puppy and tried to print out the PDF document (I thought it was just a screenshot I was trying to print). Four times in a row, I went to the Print dialog box and when nothing came out of my printer said "Yes" to overwriting the (previous?) file. End result - nothing!!

This is about the sixth Linux distro I have tried, including Ubuntu 8.04.1 and all I have encountered is problems no matter where I go for help!! Good grief, I am still trying to figure out how to capture and paste a screenshot into this or any other forum or chat board. Ridiculous. Why does it ask me where I want to save a file that I only want to print?? Shouldn't this be as simple as clicking on "Print" and require no additonal steps? That's all it takes in Windows, no matter how much you hate that OS.

I've read help manual pages and articles until I'm about to go blind and just come away completely frustrated and unable to accomplish the simplest task again and again. My conclusion is that Linux just isn't all it's cracked up to be - and NO, I'm not a Windows lover or advocate by any means - even if you use the simplest or most user-friendly distro(s). Even the books on Linux for beginners are extremely outdated.

So, what's a complete Newbie to do? I can't roll my computer back to XP Pro (at least that works) and Vista just plain SU**** and is the worst piece of garbage MS ever forced on consumers. All I want is to find a distro for someone migrating from Windows that works the way the creator or users say it does. I'm plain worn out by almost as many glitches that come up as that piece of crap called Vista.

Without any screenshots or knowing how to even paste a copy into a thread, I'm lost and about to give up on getting any work done in/with Linux. I had much higher hopes; I DO know how to follow simple directions or steps, but not when they don't work the way they're supposed to.

cbarnes
Mad, Frustrated and Confused As Hell

Have you tried printing simple text to see if the printer is installed and working properly ?

Do you have the ghostscript package installed ? it is required in order for you to be able to print PDF files.

What driver did you select in CUPS for your printer ? You should be using Gutenprint or the HPIJS driver, both should be part of your distro. http://www.openprinting.org/show_pri...-LaserJet_4100

How is your printer connected to your PC ?

How did you configure your printer in Cups ? did you use the CUPS web interface ?