I am not a computer specialist but I can use a keyboerd. I just typed the letters I read in Linux Magazine/France and it worked. I could have a beautiful window with a lot of click-click that would have done the same thing without even knowing what was happening. The advantage when you work in console mode is that when it does not work you can find the reason why. That's why I love Linux. You can of course write a little bash script or a Gui that does that automatically. Everybody is free to use the O.S. he prefers.
BTW you don't need to be a guru to type the instructions I sent you.
It took me 10 minutes to install my HP Scanjet 6200C and it works perfectly. The Xsane front-end (Gui like you prefer) works a thousand time better than any image-capture Gui you can find for Windows or Mac.
Good luck and try though. Whet is important is the result.
Same result...will not test and Kooka does not recognize the scanner even though the system does. Thanks anyway though...it was educational. Zach