Linux. Can I print word documents on it?

[InFecTed]

I need a computer setup only for printing .doc files and images. I don't wont to buy windows and office only for that.
Can it be done in Linux, any way to read and print .doc files in it?

 

[Electrode]

You could use a (free) .doc viewer in WINE. However, I'm not sure how well printing from WINE works, and recent versions of the MS Word viewer have licenses that make you run it on "a valid licensed Microsoft Windows Operating System", which WINE certainly is not. Many of the free word processors for Linux can also open Word files, but they probably won't support Word 2002/XP.

Try one of the two above methods for now, but make it clear to your organization that you need to stop using MS Word ASAP.

 

[Tiger]

Most of the Linux Offfice suites support reading and writing of Word .doc files.
I'm sure Star Office does but not clear on Open Office or KOffice.

 

[cleverhandle]

OpenOffice reads and writes most .doc files reasonably well. I'm not sure of your setup - do you actually need to edit the files, or do you just need a print server? I don't know much about setting up print servers, but I'm reasonably sure that you should be able to print the file without actually reading it, provided the windows machine sends it to the server in the correct format.

 

[InFecTed]

It will be better to have the ability to edit .doc files.
Also need to be able to scan and print images.

 

[cleverhandle]

If you're going to be dealing seriously with images, you had best look *very* carefully through the various hardware reviews - LinuxPrinting.org would be a decent starting point. Vendor support for printers and scanners is often nonexistent, and even when drivers for Linux are under active development, they often don't provide the resolution and color quality that the unit is capable of.

 

[Tiger]

I haven't had any problems setting up CUPS for any of my HP printers.
That's not to say you won't have a problem with a less well known or supported brand.

 

[InFecTed]

I'll be using HP (laser and color inkjet) printers and Umax scanner. How are these brands under linux?

 

[cleverhandle]

HP is pretty much the model Linux printer vendor, so you're good there. No idea about Umax.

 

[dblevitan]

I'll agree with the previous poster about HP - works quite well. For scanners, look at SANE (http://www.mostang.com/sane/). A lot of the UMAX scanners are supported - see if yours is. But in general, I've found scanning under linux to not be as good or as easy as under windows. On the other hand, I haven't really worked with it much.
-David