Are we there yet?

Urgh! I so want to be able to switch my PC OS to Ubuntu.

I've used the live install CD, I've even made my laptop (Dell Inspiron 1300) dual boot between Ubuntu 7.04 and Windows XP. Everything works, EXCEPT I can't get it to talk to my bloomin' printer.

Okay, I guess I'm expecting alot: the printer is a Lexmark P4350 All-in-One printer/scanner/photocopier, with no official linux support from Lexmark (boo! hiss!), but there is Mac OS/X support. So this suggests that it doesn't require something proprietry to Windows.

Maybe it's just time to move to a HP printer.

Here's a few reviews and comments on Ubuntu 7.04:

After Ubuntu, Windows Looks Increasingly Bad, Increasingly Archaic, Increasingly Unfriendly,

Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn,

a critical look at ubuntu feisty beta on an hp nc8430 laptop.

It's not all completely rosy, of course, but the majority are now favouring Ubuntu as a realistic replacement for Windows. Unless you want to play mainstream PC games (like me) or expect it to support every breed of hardware available for Windows.

I guess all us Joes can do is keep on plugging on, supporting Linux wherever we can in the hopes that eventually it'll become mainstream enough for all of us.