IStreaming: March 2010

I recently purchased an all-in-one printer (fax, copier, scanner) from a fictitious company, lets call it "Lexmark". I have several machines at home (collected over the years - couple of PCs (running Windows & Linux) and a Mac-book.

There was a great deal over at "OfficeMax" about $80+ for an all-in-one printer. We were looking at "HP" (another fictitious company) - but decided on the Lexmark X7675.

It sat in a box for several days - until we finally cracked the box and set-it up. Imagine to my surprise - when I found it didn't work with the Linux boxes!

Yes, I know - aren't the majority of Lexmark printers considered "bricks"? Well - yes. What I'd heard/read is that newer printers are themselves using Linux (for the O/S) and that they were providing drivers for Linux-based distros. Yay, nice turn-around!

So, I found myself one Sunday with my wife looking at all the shiny new printers. The price was right - but being skeptical - I checked the box and asked the sales person, who in fairness was young and probably never wandered outside the world-of-windows (or his parent's house for that matter).

Requirements
So, Linux* 250MB of RAM - check!
Available at http://www.lexmark.com - uh, not so much!

What I am about to share is a series of e-mail correspondence with the Lexmark service representatives. To protect their identities I've decided to name them Efren and Janice. I've omitted only repetition (chaining) and tag-lines (signatures, etc.), personal info etc... Enjoy.

Step 1 - register (auto response 1)
Feb. 27th 2010:

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for registering your Lexmark X7675. Because of our commitment to making your printing experience better, smarter, and more efficient, we continuously add information on Lexmark.com. We recommend that you visit our website often to learn of ways you can maximize your printer’s performance.

You may also visit Technical Support to find answers to common questions as well as step-by-step How-To’s and FAQs. You may also email or call Technical Support directly for answers to your questions.

Step 2 - Acknowledgement (auto response 2)
Mar. 1st 2010:
Dear Andrew,

Thank you for your recent purchase of a Lexmark X7675 printer and for completing your online registration on February 27, 2010. You are now entitled to special benefits that complement the standard Lexmark Statement of Limited Warranty as follows:

5-Year Limited Warranty:

The Lexmark Limited Warranty is extended from its standard duration to a total of 5 (five) years from the date of purchase of your Lexmark printer. Your Extended Limited Warranty period will run through February 22, 2015. This 5-year Extended Warranty will be available only in the country where the Lexmark printer was purchased and only for the specific product which was registered:

Model Type: Lexmark X7675
Serial Number:

Lexmark reserves the right to require this Extended Warranty Confirmation email and the original purchase receipt, indicating:

The Serial Number:
Date of Purchase: February 22, 2010
Purchase Location: Office Depot

Please print this confirmation email, attach it to your original purchase receipt and keep both in a safe place.

All other provisions of the Statement of Limited Warranty remain in full force and effect.

Step 3 - went to Lexmark website to find an Ubuntu .deb package and filled in a web-form to ask where the Ubuntu distros were.

Step 4 - Auto-reply

from	Lexmark Auto Acknowledgement
reply-to		No Reply
date		Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 9:16 AM
subject		Thank you for contacting the Lexmark Technical Support Center

hide details Mar 3 (8 days ago)

Thank you for contacting the Lexmark Technical Support Center. Your e-mail has been received and will be routed to the appropriate support representative.

The SR Number is 1-2842579061

Please note that inadequate information in the e-mail form, e-mail volumes and the complexity of your question may impact response times.

You may review other Lexmark support options at http://support.lexmark.com.

Please do not reply to this message; it is system-generated. Replies to this message will be automatically deleted to prevent delaying the response time to your original e-mail.

Sincerely,

Lexmark Customer Support Center

Step 4 - Auto-reply (2)

from	Lexmark Auto Acknowledgement
date		Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 9:16 AM
subject		Thank you for contacting the Lexmark Technical Support Center

hide details Mar 3 (8 days ago)

from	Lexmark Support
date		Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 11:19 PM
subject		Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061

hide details Mar 3 (7 days ago)

Dear Andrew,

Here is your Service Request # 1-2842579061

I understand and appreciate your desire for Linux drivers. Unfortunately, there aren't enough customers out there who are using the X7675 with a Linux Operating System that would justify the cost of creating Linux drivers but I'll pass on your concern to our development team who makes decisions about which printers to support with Linux drivers. We do spend considerable effort understanding market opportunities and, if market demand shifts to a point that would make your proposal worthwhile, I'm sure we would consider it.

I know the above statement may be unacceptable to you and I realize that none of this solves any of your concerns. We do offer Linux drivers on all of our new printers. In fact, we even use Linux in our touch screen products. We would like to extend our gratitude by providing you a 20% discount if you purchase any of these printers online at www.Lexmark.com. If you're interested, I would be happy to advise you on models that might be a suitable fit for you.

Step 6 - WTF?!?

Thank you for the response. I am a bit confused because you've made a Linux RedHat driver package available for this same printer (X7675). In terms of this not being a "new" printer, I just recently purchased it at the end of Feb. Additionally, on the box it states that Linux drivers are available on your website! Which is what justified the purchase in the first place. I'd appreciate if you'd recheck your original stance. Even if you just made available the post-script driver file to install - would be leaps and bounds ahead of the buggy script package for RedHat. If "time" or development cost is in limited supply - you could (like HP) work in conjunction with OpenPrinting http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/openprinting Publish the specification and have someone else write the driver.

I await your response.

Step 7 - There is no RedHat linux package, Neo

from	Lexmark Support
date		Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 4:04 PM
subject		Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061

hide details Mar 4 (6 days ago)

Dear Andrew,

We appreciate the feedback. I've double-checked the RedHat driver you're referring that's available for this X7675, there's actually none on our web site. Can you give us the link where you've seen that driver so we can check it. You can also check our list of printers that are Linux compatible, just click on the link below :

http://support.lexmark.com/index?page=content&id=OS4&locale=EN&userlocale=EN_US#

Step 8 - WTF II

date		Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 7:48 PM
subject		Re: Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061

Interesting. It seems your site was altered, and so soon after I complained - tragic. Lucky for us both, I still have the downloaded package from your site. Here's the installation package I downloaded before such a calamity struck your site. Thanks for the list - but I've already purchased the printer (less than 2 weeks ago) and foolishly thought that when I read "Linux Drivers available at www.lexmark.com" on the box, that it actually meant just that.

I appreciate the time and effort and eagerly await your response. As mentioned I'm including the "lexmark-08z-series-driver-1.

0-1.i386.rpm" package that WAS available from your site - until today.

Step 9 - Website Never Changes - and you're a liar!

from	Lexmark Support
date		Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 9:34 PM
subject		Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061

hide details Mar 4 (6 days ago)

Dear Andrew,

We have a separate department who updates our web site so if ever we have some concerns on it, we'll have to escalate it first. Once that department got the feedback, they'll take action on it and also it would take 24-48 busines hours for an update to show on the web. They also cascade it first before uploading new drivers online. For that compatibility statement on that printer's box, I'll have to verify that so we can take action on it. That's the first time we got that feedback on that printer model. Thank you for letting us know. We greatly appreciate your feedback.

Step 10 - But you digress...

date		Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 10:45 PM
subject		Re: Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061
mailed-by		gmail.com

hide details Mar 4 (6 days ago)

I don't particularly care about who manages your website; I do find it interesting that no sooner than I "complain" that the download is removed from your your site. I'd certainly look into that...perhaps when it comes to embarrassment, things move faster than 24-48 business hours. I will assume that you received the aforementioned cryptic package that was made available, if not - I will be more than happy to resend it. I'm glad you appreciate my feedback...I am less than satisfied with the responses I've received. At least one of us is happy. Let me send you some pictures of the statements "on the box" - to help expedite the matter. Given the protracted run-around I've received, it is small wonder this is the "first-time" you've received feedback.

Looking forward to hearing from either of you soon (Janice or Efren).

Step 11 - We're looking into it..?

from	Lexmark Support
date		Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 11:12 PM
subject		Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061

hide details Mar 5 (5 days ago)

Dear Andrew,

We'll definitely check on the box for that model to verify and it'll be forwarded to the department who handles it so future boxes would not contain such information. We also got the driver that you've attached before and it has been pass on to the Linux development team as well so they'll be able to investigate the case. Again, we highly appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

Here is your Service Request # 1-2842579061

If you have any more questions or concerns, please contact me at your convenience and I will be happy to assist you. (If I am not available, another representative may reply to your request.)

Step 12 - You'll get back to me when exactly?

to		Lexmark Support
date		Sat, Mar 6, 2010 at 11:24 AM
subject		Re: Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061
mailed-by		gmail.com

hide details Mar 6 (5 days ago)

Great. So I can expect to hear something by when?

Redhat package link on the Lexmark website is back - after brief absence!
http://support.lexmark.com/index?page=downloadFile&actp=RECOMMEND&productCode=LEXMARK_X7675&id=DR20530&segment=DOWNLOAD&actp=PRODUCT&userlocale=EN_US+&locale=en

Step 13 - to be continued

Summary

It don't print.
We are willing to sell you a new, new printer at 20% less.
We don't support Linux.
Can you help me navigate my own support site?
Linux Drivers are not available, are available, are not available, are available...
They Never should have printed that box! (they made us in support sooo angry!)
Developers are actively looking into it.
We do support Linux?
We going to make sure it doesn't say that on the box anymore.
Stop responding.

Additional Reading

In any case, the physical setup consists of little more than setting the printer in place, removing packing materials, installing the two ink cartridges—one black and one color—loading paper, and connecting a cable. I connected over a wired network, using a Windows XP system. According to Lexmark, the printer also ships with a full set of software for Windows XP x64, Vista, Vista x64, Windows 2000, and Mac OS 10.3.9 on PowerPC-based Macs only, and OS 10.4.4 and later on all Macs. In addition, it ships with printer and scan drivers (but no fax driver or other software) for Linux.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2334410,00.asp
(be sure to read comments)

Update: http://www.awakecoding.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20:installing-lexmark-linux-drivers-in-64-bit-debian-based-distributions&catid=1:home

Will try this and see, funny that I was never notified.

Big Surprise - Debian package was a dud - run or run in terminal epic fails when asking for password.

I actually know my password.

Will probably have to hack around the package to see if I can get anything useful out of it. Maybe tomorrow.

Update 2:
I gave the initial steps a try as outlined in http://www.awakecoding.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20:installing-lexmark-linux-drivers-in-64-bit-debian-based-distributions&catid=1:home

I used the debian package that he pointed to... replace selfgz3386 with selfgz2966 (for the debian package)

You will have to run with administrative privileges (my guess is that password support dialog does not support non-alphanumeric characters) so the prompting fails.

So when you have extracted everything. Run:
sudo ./startupinstaller.sh

Then follow the install dialogs:

You WILL have to connect a USB cable from the computer to the printer, initially. If you are planning on going wireless - and your router, firewall etc. is all set-up - you will need to know the IP Address of your printer on the network.

Go to System ->Administration ->Printing and select Change button by DeviceURI.

Go to Network Printer, I used AppSocket/HP Direct protocol and entered the printer's ip address and left the port 9100.

I can now finally print from an Ubuntu laptop wireless, next installment FAX. (yeah, right....)

Update 3 (or Step 13 - to be continued):

from	Lexmark Support

date		Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 5:31 PM
subject		Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061

hide details 5:31 PM (1 hour ago)

Dear Andrew,

We now have Debian-based drivers for your printer. You may go to the link below to download it :

http://support.lexmark.com:80/lexmark/index?page=recommendedDownloads&locale=en&productCode=LEXMARK_X7675&segment=DOWNLOAD&userlocale=EN_US+

Here is your Service Request # 1-2842579061

Step 14 - Thanks, already helped myself - printer still buggy

from	Andrew Del Preore
to		Lexmark Support
date		Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 6:56 PM
subject		Re: Lexmark Technical Support 1-2842579061
mailed-by		gmail.com

hide details 6:56 PM (8 minutes ago)

Yeah. Thanks. I already found it - I've included what I had to do to get it to work below.

Any ideas regarding why the ink monitor says its low - even with a new cartridge? Yes - I've executed the Clean and Align on the printer.

How to get debian package to work.
(instructions included from above post)