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Driver for Epson ET-2650 - preferably privacy safe

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aNoobInSweden
Posts: 28
Joined: 2014-06-21 20:16

Driver for Epson ET-2650 - preferably privacy safe

#1 Post by aNoobInSweden »

I got an Epson ET-2650 printer, that I'd like to use on my Debian machine (running Jessie, but might upgrade this if that helps), preferably by USB cable (printer can also be used on WiFi).

I tried to connect the USB cable, it finds the printer, but can't find any driver for it. I did some searching and found the following:

1: Epson themselves have Linux drivers for the printer. However I don't know if they fit Debian (just says Linux, can it really be all Linux?), and I don't have any experience installing anything in any other way than running apt-get or aptitude to download it, and, what's worse, the licence agreement for these drivers leaves me very worried for my privacy. It says that it transfers data to Epson, including serial number, operating system information, and Epson hardware usage information in order to display, amongst others, promotional information. For all I know, "hardware usage information" might include everything I print and scan with it. It is one of those deliberately vague sentences, that so often occur in privacy policies. (Side note: I hate this world more for every year that goes by - previously it was "if you dont pay for it, you're most likely the product" (of course not applying to free open source), now you're the product even when you pay for it. Micro$oft, printers, what's next?).

2: Open Printing seems to support the model, and it seems like they distribute to repositories of Linux distributions. However I don't know much more than that. I'm, as my user name suggests, pretty much still a noob, I mostly use Debian, not research its inner workings and the structure of software development and distribution.
I guess that Open Printing have a free open source driver (given their name), but I suppose it's not in the repositories for this flavor and version of Linux. (not compatible?)

So, my questions are the following:
-Is it possible to get the printer to work on this system, or an updated version of it (Stretch)
-Is it possible to do so in a privacy-friendly manner?
-How to do the above.

I apologize in advance for forgetting to write some important piece of information (I'm sure I have). Just ask and I'll tell you. And I thank you in advance for answers to the questions: Thanks.

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pylkko
Posts: 1802
Joined: 2014-11-06 19:02

Re: Driver for Epson ET-2650 - preferably privacy safe

#2 Post by pylkko »

I searched a bit, and it looks like you selected a particularly crap printer. According to a previous post in 2018, the manufacturer distributes a deb package with the needed closed source software (firmware, kernel driver whatever) for it to work. I believe you can just download it for free. It may or may not send all your data to some where as you suggest, we cannot know, there is no source code. Unfortunately, according to a previous poster, the package offers only somewhat rudimentary support. This same thread mentions that there is another third-party proprietary package from something called turboprint. This goes for a price of 30 USD.

see:

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=263453

aNoobInSweden
Posts: 28
Joined: 2014-06-21 20:16

Re: Driver for Epson ET-2650 - preferably privacy safe

#3 Post by aNoobInSweden »

Sorry for the delay, I haven't had much time for computer-related stuff lately.

Thanks for the reply. What about "Open Printing"? Is it included in Debian, if it is, why doesn't it work, if it isn't, is it compatible and in that case how do I install it?

You mention it's a crap printer. Is that only referring to its compatibility with Open Source and Debian, or other things too? (Print quality, build quality, lifespan, ink consumption, etc.?)


kedaha
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Re: Driver for Epson ET-2650 - preferably privacy safe

#5 Post by kedaha »

Untrusted applications can be run with firejail, available in old stable, stretch, but not, I'm afraid, in jessie.
# apt install firejail
There's also a gui called firetools which might come in handy.
DebianStable

Code: Select all

$ vrms

No non-free or contrib packages installed on debian!  rms would be proud.

shep
Posts: 423
Joined: 2011-03-15 15:22

Re: Driver for Epson ET-2650 - preferably privacy safe

#6 Post by shep »

The safest driver will be one from Debian:
https://packages.debian.org/source/bust ... nter-escpr

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