Installing Epson Scanner Non-Free Plugin on Kubuntu

Introduction

Epson is a well-known manufacturer of printers, scanners, and other imaging devices. Linux users can also use Epson devices with their systems by installing the appropriate drivers. In this article, we will guide you through the process of installing the Epson scanner non-free plugin on Kubuntu.

What is a Non-Free Plugin?

A non-free plugin is a software component that is not covered by a free software license. It is typically proprietary software that is distributed under a license that restricts its use, modification, and distribution. In the context of Epson scanners, the non-free plugin is a software component that enables scanning functionality on Epson devices that is not available in the open-source drivers.

Why Do We Need a Non-Free Plugin?

The open-source drivers for Epson scanners provide basic scanning functionality, but they may not support all features and functions of Epson scanners. The non-free plugin provides additional scanning functionality that is not available in the open-source drivers. For example, the non-free plugin may support advanced scanning features such as automatic document feeder (ADF) scanning, duplex scanning, and scanning at high resolutions.

Downloading the Epson Scanner Drivers

Before we can install the non-free plugin, we need to download the Epson scanner drivers. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Epson Linux driver download page at https://support.epson.net/linux/en/epsonscan2.php.
2. Select your scanner model from the list of available models.
3. Click the "Download" button next to the "epson-scan2" package.
4. Save the package to your system.

Installing the Non-Free Plugin

Once we have downloaded the Epson scanner drivers, we can install the non-free plugin. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Navigate to the directory where you saved the Epson scanner drivers.
3. Extract the contents of the package using the following command:

tar -xvf epson-scan2-<version>.x86_64.deb

Replace <version> with the version number of the package. 4. Navigate to the usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/sane/ directory. 5. Create a backup of the epkowa directory using the following command:

sudo mv epkowa epkowa.backup

6. Copy the epkowa directory from the extracted package to the sane directory using the following command:

sudo cp -R epkowa /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/sane/

7. Restart the SANE daemon using the following command:

sudo service saned restart

Testing the Non-Free Plugin

To test the non-free plugin, follow these steps:

1. Open a document scanning application such as Simple Scan.
2. Select your Epson scanner from the list of available devices.
3. Try scanning a document.

If the non-free plugin is installed correctly, you should be able to scan documents using all the features and functions of your Epson scanner.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown you how to install the Epson scanner non-free plugin on Kubuntu. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can enable advanced scanning features on your Epson scanner that are not available in the open-source drivers.

References

• Epson Linux driver download page: https://support.epson.net/linux/en/epsonscan2.php
• SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy) project: http://www.sane-project.org/

Summary

• The non-free plugin provides additional scanning functionality for Epson scanners that is not available in the open-source drivers.
• Download the Epson scanner drivers from the Epson Linux driver download page.
• Extract the contents of the package and copy the epkowa directory to the sane directory.
• Restart the SANE daemon to enable the non-free plugin.
• Test the non-free plugin by scanning a document using a document scanning application.

Types of References

• Online resources: Epson Linux driver download page, SANE project.
• Books: N/A.
• Articles: N/A.