Cheap network scanning with linux (Score 1)

Lots of USB and SCSI (those still round?) scanners work with Linux using SANE(7). Networked scanners are harder to find, but a much better choice (scan from multiple computers, locate anywhere, no buggy USB drivers, etc.). Network printers are more rule than exception now, so why are most scanners still USB-only? To add insult to injury, most of the networkable scanners available use propriatary protocol not supported on linux.

I think HP's OfficeJet line might be the best bet. (Stay away from Brother at any cost!) I've been happily using a Officejet 7120 with linux. At $299 it's cheaper than most dedicated network scanners, and comes with a document feeder for the scanner which also works great with SANE. The built-in inkjet is supported too, but haven't used it much. I don't think the fax functions work from linux, but a windows instance running inside VMware can use it for conveniently sending faxes if you must.

Scanning on windows seems to always be a huge PITA, with buggy drivers and dialogs popping up all over the place with the wrong default settings for every document you try to scan. Using sane from the command line on linux is a huge improvement. Just hack together a script with the right parameters for the common stuff you scan, and then drop the documents in the feeder and run the "scan_bank_statement" (or whatever.) Try that on windows!

scanimage -d "hpoj:hpjd:192.168.1.55" --resolution 300 --source Auto --format=tiff >my_document.tiff