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Linux support for HP requires some HP daemon running at all times and in my experience fails in edge cases where a standard Linux integration would not. I also don't like their logo on my Linux task bar, no one else requires that to make a printer 'go'.

Recently got a Xerox, it's better.

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It does not require that; just some users install it for some reason.

I do have a LaserJet at home; all I did was to connect it to the network and it popped up in the printer dialogs on Linux and Mac machines. On Linux, standard cups+hplip that's in the default package set in most distributions does the job.

HP's out-of-the-box instructions are terrible and assume your printer might not be on your network. Any JetDirect-enabled HP printer requires no local process/service on your workstations or other devices. You just throw PS/PCL at port 9100, or maybe IPP at 631, and install a reasonably-recent PPD for your printer's model line (this is the point of installing hplip from your distro). There isn't a driver per-se as the OS is responsible for creating the postscript and/or PCL from your document, just as it would for making a PDF. If you can't install a PPD you can just manually set the capabilities (duplex, highest PS version, resolution, tray sizes) in the native print UI, like for a mobile device

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