Scanner (is this title too generic?)

I'm trying to set up a scanner on one of my Linux boxes, using SANE.
I wasn't able to do it so, I read the manuals on both the web site and my
harddrive.
The setup seems pretty straightfoward, if you have a SCSI or USB scanner.
I wasn't able to find any documentation for parallel-port stuff so I
was if anyone here knows how to make it work.

I'm running a Umax Astra 600P, which works fine in windows (gack)
but it would be nice to have working with Linux.

Oh, if anyone cares (if it even matters), I also have an Epson ES-600C,
but, the stuff I found on the web says that it needs a
bi-directional parallel cable, which I don't have.