Epson and Avasys automate printer downloads for Linux PC users

People who use Epson printers with Linux-based computers will now be able to download drivers automatically.

Currently, Linux PC users have to manually download drivers from the Avasys website if they want to use Epson printers.

Epson and Avasys are providing a new service, planned to start at the end of April 2011, that will do away with this process for users of 284 Epson models launched since 2005.

Ikuaki Kitabayashi, general manager, Inkjet Products Planning and Design at Epson, said: "We continually strive to make printers easier to use, so we are very pleased to be able to provide this convenient automatic printer driver download service to Linux users."

The automatic download function has been included in the Linux distribution Ubuntu 11.04 due to be released at the end of April 2011. For this distribution, users will be able to automatically download the driver just by connecting the printer, enabling much simpler setup.

Epson said it and Avasys will continue to work together to develop further printing operations for the Linux operating system.