Answer to the first question: yes
Second part: www.howtoforge.com/converting_rpm_to_deb_with_alien

It does not always work. Managing dependencies are tricky even if you stay
within the repos. Venturing outside requires a bit of knowledge or you can
cause more problems that you solve.

I understand the risks but don't have much
choice over the matter if I want to get this printer to work with
Ubuntu..

I understand the risks but don't have much
choice over the matter if I want to get this printer to work with
Ubuntu..

first things first. I think it is time to move on to a later version of
Ubuntu. 12.10 is out and that makes 2 years. Why go to all the trouble
when 10.10 has limited life. The later version may well have support for
the printer, don't know that for sure but it might.

Synaptics package manager has an Icon and can be run from the desktops
window interface. start the dash and type in Synaptics and it should
show up before you are through typing. Very little need to learn how to
use it, it is self intuitive.

I don't much use RPM files. when I have tried I have failed. Mostly
though converting so I can use something that has no deb has to be an
unbelievable product, something I have not seen to much of.

I was able to make a Kodak printer scanner work for someone just by
googling instructions on how to do it, so would suggest you try that,
for your printer. Also in your search remember to use the "ubuntu" key word.

In fact, Ubuntu 10.10 expired on April 10. I had been using it for my production
system for 18 months, so that was when I had to make "my big decision."

For recent versions of Ubuntu and its derivatives, I have always been able to
install a printer by running Printers. Click "Add," select local or network
printer, wait a few seconds, select, "yes, yes, that one" and I was done. No
messing around with downloads or .debs

Depends on the printer. I've usually been able to just plug-and-go for
Epson / HP ones but have also needed to resort to getting a driver for
Canon / Brother / Dell. Whatever gets the job done

BTW - recently set up a Brother multi-function and there was a lot of
help on the Brother site for installing in all manner of Linux but it
did need some command line work to get the scanner working - again all
documented on the Brother site. Nice to see a manufacturer really get
behind Linux like this

Interesting. My printer is a Brother laser, connected to my router by Ethernet
cable. It's not a multi-function.

When I first got it, I was running 10.10, which needed a driver download.
Everything since then has been the four-click install I described previously.

Seems there's no hard rules about which printers are going to be
plug-and-go in Linux, and a few that won't work at all ( but that list
is growing ever shorter thankfully ). We'll know that Linux has come
of age when it gets listed as supported by vendors selling devices :-)

Not really true. Until Linux is used by at least 10% of home computers
are verified Linux computers, vendors will likely not think of Linux as
something that is used by non computer geeks. Many already think Linux
has come of age.

I think only new converts wonder if Linux has come of age. Remember that
tablets and smart phones running Linux are the standard and not the OS
fighting for a spot in a market. Microsoft is that company. Microsoft is
also the company fighting to regain lost market in the server market.
The only way they may make ground in the future is the stand that Intel
has made. For intels stand I would hope that Intel looses market share
as well.

I have a Brother laser and it is the easiest printer that I have ever used
in Linux. You need to install the Brother drivers which in the
repositories. Just search for Brother and they will come it. The
Description lists the printers that are supported if you used Synaptic to
install. There are several to choose from. I have never had a problem with
it across several versions of Ubuntu. Also you do not have to have a
perfect match for most printers. Many will work just fine with the closest
match.

I found our Dell laser to be an easy install once you found on the
Dell drivers page it was really a re-badged Xerox Phaser 6000 :-)

Also cannot dispute that most printers these days work well in most
flavours of Linux, what I was commenting on was places selling these
devices starting to list Linux as being supported along with Windows
and MacOS. Recently installed a Brother inkjet multi-function on Mac
and it was no different from an install on Linux, a bit of additional
tweaking to get the scanner side functional but curiously needed a
re-boot for printer to be recognised after the driver install was done
( Apple instructions didn't say this was required which wasted half an
hour of 'we need to download an Apple driver' followed by 'no driver
available please try later' ). Re-boot was in desperation and really
not expected !

For printers to be used in Linux goto www.cups.org where you will find many
printers for just that .
You subsequently can install/manage the selected printer by typing
http://localhost:631/ in a blank browser address line. I always use
cups also for outstanding print jobs ; it is pretty universal.