Problems with a scanner on the (parallel) printer port.
There are many problems with scanners. The most common problem is that the
scanner don't work and/or the printer don't work too. The basic of this
problem is the combination of scanner with printer. Some scanners recall
the interupt of the printerport. Some Canon-scanners will use also the
interupts of a second printerport too. Experience learns that when the
scanner and the  printer are both of the same fabric it mostly will work.
 
The problems with scanners are only when you use a scanner whitch has to be
connected to your printerport. But there are scanners you must use with a
SCSI interface it will work properly with every printing device.
 
The best qualaty scan you will get with the highest dpi and the highest
bits. 36 bits is better than 30 and so on. Your scanner will (mostly) scan
on a 300 or a 600 dpi hardware scanner resolution. The software-scan-rate
is not portant.
 
The paint (photo) programm you use is the second importance. Coral Photo
Shop is very good, but you can use Aldus Photo Styler too. Most scanners
are completed with "small" programs, but they have only a little
possibility to work on your photo.
 
Don't forget that it is important too to focus you to the result you wish,
for a (normal) printer is mostly 300 dpi more than you can see, but for to
see photoquality on your screen you need much more.
 
Your end-result will have much less dpi and bits then the scan. How much
will depend of the corrections you will make. Thats why it's important you
must get the best quality possible when you make the scan.
 
The best advice I received was to talk and work together with somebody who
has more experience than I had.
 
Succes, Alex