[sane-devel] Recommendations for color, network scanner with ADF and no non-free driver needed?

[J.B. Nicholson-Owens]

Olaf Meeuwissen wrote:
> That's basically a GT-2500 with a network interface card (and a bunch
> of proprietary software) if I understand the product catalog correctly.

Yes; the GT-2500 Plus is exactly the GT-2500 with Epson's expensive 
network adapter.  I know this because an organization I worked for 
bought an Epson GT-2500 and separately purchased the network card.  This 
effectively turned their scanner into an Epson GT-2500 Plus.  Epson's 
software (which comes with either scanner model) is proprietary.

> The GT-2500 is supported by the epkowa backend but the network card
> requires a non-free plugin with that backend.  It is also reported to
> work with the epson2 backend which may support the network card to some
> extent.

This is great for me to know because I can look around to see if my 
needs will be met by the epson2 backend, if the epson2 backend is free 
software.

> If with "SANE's network scan support" you mean saned than there is no
> difference compared to using it locally attached in terms of support.
> What saned gives you is a scan server, not support for a scanner that is
> directly connected to a network.

Ah; what I meant was far more general -- any free software-based 
approach to getting scans from a scanner connected directly to a network.

>> - Epson GT-30000
>
> The epkowa and epson2 backends both support this model.  Support for its
> network interface requires a non-free plugin with the epkowa backends
> and may or may not work to some extent with the epson2 backend.

Okay, thanks a lot!  Your post was very helpful.

If anyone knows of any color, duplex, network scanners with automatic 
document feeders that work fully with SANE and use exclusively free 
software, I'm eager to listen and learn for your advice.