• Before choosing a scanner
• Some background info to consider
• Basics no one will be bothered to tell you about scanning
• Forewarned is forearmed - have your answers READY!
• Scanner technology - the need-to-know stuff
• Software with which scanners are commonly associated
• Scanning costs

Forewarned is forearmed - have your answers READY!

The best way to ensure that you buy the right scanner is to have more answers than questions.

Make a check list

Whether you are buying for the home or the business, the salesman will probably ask you at least some of the following questions - which you should have the answers for:

• What tasks do you need the scanner to perform?
• What type of computer do you use? (i.e., PC or Mac)
• What is the configuration of the computer to which the scanner will be attached? (i.e., CPU, RAM, hard disk, etc.)
• Which operating system do you use? (e.g., Windows XP, Mac OSX, Linux)
• Which types of documents or items do you wish to scan? (i.e., pictures, slides, transparencies, books, documents, forms)
• How many scans do you expect to do per week?
• Who will be using the scanner? (i.e., novice, professional, student)

Have some background information memorised or close to hand. The following part of the guide is a brief overview of commonly available scanner technologies, what they do, how they work, and their associated options and software.