"I have tried Ubuntu but printer and scanner drivers were not available except in a very rudimentary fashion with mediocre results."

Ubuntu, like most Linux systems works out of the box with peripherals designed to use the Industry Standards and only need drivers for devices NOT designed to work to Industry Standard, but are designed to be out of the box compatible with a version of Windows instead. So when he says he can't get them to work with Ubuntu, it's clear they're Windows compatible only.