Ubuntu as a First-Choice Desktop OS

Working with Linux desktops for about 15 years now, I am always preparing for workarounds and compromises when using Linux for day-to-day desktop work.

Our new Canon MP-series printer/scanner/copier was to be used for scanning and colour printing. We would plug it into the Ubuntu desktop for printing and we thought that the scanning would only work on a Windows machine. Just before our admin was about to put in the manufacturer's CD into a Windows laptop for the occasional scanning, I plugged in the USB cable into the Ubuntu 11.10 desktop and was delighted to find out that the printer was automatically detected and configured. Feeling brave, I typed 'scan' into the Ubuntu Unity menu and up came an app that appeared to be rather spartan. I felt brave and clicked 'scan'.

It scanned and allowed me to crop the image. I scanned another sheet, cropped it different dimensions, and then saved to PDF, half-expecting it to create two documents. Both sheets came out as two pages of a very fine PDF file. Amazing, without installing any software and having to use manufacturer-supplied bloatware.

Now, if only Ubuntu would establish an MTP connection with my Android.

Maybe Ubuntu's Bug #1 will finally get resolved.