need help getting my printer installed

[curtisfuller]

my printer (kodak esp 3250) does not support linux, i found a cups? file to download (c2esp_15-1_i386.deb [read only] and have it in google chrome downloads but i don't know what to do with it now, please help

[hazel]

Did you get this package from Sourceforge? I know they have this driver on their site. If you did, it will be source code. Unpack it in your home directory with the dpkg command. You should see a directory which you can go into. There will be a README file and perhaps a separate INSTALL file telling you how to compile and install it.

Make sure you have the build-essential package installed first; you can't compile anything without that.

[SA.com]

Did you get this package from Sourceforge? I know they have this driver on their site. If you did, it will be source code. Unpack it in your home directory with the dpkg command. You should see a directory which you can go into. There will be a README file and perhaps a separate INSTALL file telling you how to compile and install it.

Make sure you have the build-essential package installed first; you can't compile anything without that.

I have had issues with this too.

My advice is too just install the HPLIP Package from Synaptic and get a HP printer. It will save you a ton of hassles.

dell, KODAK, Lexmark are just a few of a long list of printers that do not mesh well in Linux.

On KODAK, CUPS sees the KODAK printer, but it rarely ever connects to it. It is an exercise in futility, I have found.

[elija]

A .deb file is kind of like a .msi in Windows. You can double click it to open it and install it. You will be asked for your password.

Hopefully, as it needs root, you got it from somewhere trustworthy