First-rate Linux support by Xerox

When buying hardware for a Linux system, often we need to hunt for their support status by searching for PCI or USB IDs in the kernel source, or by looking up the printer model on the linuxprinting.org (now freedesktop.org) openprinting database, or similar things. This is something I'm used to, and not at all unexpected anymore. And after having done it a thousand times for several customers as well as for myself, it's become routine.

So in that light, I was pleasantly surprised last monday when I delivered and installed a Xerox WorkCentre 3220 at a customer last week to see that they support Linux on the same level as they do Windows and MacOS: the "system requirements" part of the manual contains a section laying out the requirements for a computer running Linux, as does the "troubleshooting" section; and when there are Linux-specific bits to be said, there'll just be a Linux-specific section in the manual to tell you what to do. Also, the CD-ROM that came with the device has a Rock Ridge extension, which means that if you pop it into a Linux system you'll see an installer for CUPS and SANE drivers.

The only criticism I have is that it's an installer, and not an LSB package or some such. But hey, for once I didn't have to fight to get a printer to work properly!