Wow what a difference an OS makes!

[GTP]

I just spent a couple of hours trying to setup a printer on my Mac.
Yes, its easy when you know how, but to a Mac newbie, not so much!
Found the printer on the network easy enough and went through the setup.
Options to install as were basic so installed as a generic postscript printer thinking that it would work ok.
created a text file with "hello" as the only text and chose print.
Got 8 pages of goobledygook before I finally switched the printer off to stop it!
Ok, definitely the wrong driver, so chose the next option, Generic PCL Printer.
Got a further 4 pages of goobledygook before stopping printer!
Ok, so, went to Epson website and downloaded the driver for previous OS (10.11) as there was no driver available for 10.12 Sierra.
No worries downloaded and installed, went through printer setup, Epson printer found no worries but no driver listed?
Downloaded help PDF from Epson and found that I needed to go to Apple to get drivers.
Ok, downloaded 1.3GB package and installed.
Went through printer setup again, found Epson make and model, installed, done.
Opened printer dialogues and selected "print a test page", nothing!
Opened the text file with "hello" in it, chose print and whoopee! Printer worked!

Just as a comparison with Windows......
Buy printer, plug in, switch on, wait 20 seconds...printer installed! Lol

 

[trevm999]

Uhhhh.... what Windows build are you using? Sounds like I need to start only using that one

 

[GTP]

Uhhhh.... what Windows build are you using? Sounds like I need to start only using that one

I'm sorry, you've lost me?

 

[trevm999]

I'm sorry, you've lost me?

You've had very different experiences with Windows than I have.



When there are no printer drivers marked compatible for an OS version, there's no telling what you might have to do to get the printer working, in either Windows or Mac.

That being said, driver issues in Windows is the bane of my existence, but when I was a Mac tech I never had to deal with any driver issues. Although with Macs there seems to be a harder line. For the most part, it is either compatible or it isn't, no messing around with workarounds because you might be able to get it to work. Printers are a bit of an exception. Printer manufacturers usually take a while to get supported drivers for a new MacOS release, so sometimes you can use the old print drivers, but there are no working scanner drivers, etc.

 

[sapphirescales]

That being said, driver issues in Windows is the bane of my existence

LOL. What was the last version of Windows you used? Windows 95? Drivers in Windows are easy as pie. Identify the necessary driver, head over to the manufacturers website, download and install. You can install the drivers for a complete system in under 15 minutes. And Windows is compatible with even 20 year old printers. Try that on a Mac.

Or if you want to do it incorrectly, just install Windows 10, connect to the internet, and let the computer sit there for 10 minutes. It'll install 90% or more of the drives automatically. If you plug in a printer, it will also download and install the driver automatically, pretty much without exception.

Windows blows Mac OS and Linux out of the water when it comes to hardware compatibility. And most "viruses" are browser ad plugins and such nowadays, and those affect Mac OS, Linux, and Windows. The days of Windows being an unstable piece of buggy crap are over. Honestly, by the time Windows 7 came out, 80% of it had been pretty much perfect. With Windows 10 it's more like 90%. I'm not saying there aren't issues with Windows 10 that grind my gears, but I prefer Windows to Mac OS and Linux any day. And each new update to Windows 10 brings improvements. I can't say the same for Mac OS and Linux, both of which seem like they've been standing still for the last 10 years.

Sure, there's Unity for Linux, but pretty much everyone hates it. And the new features for Mac OS have been pretty pathetic. Sierra has been the most significant update in a long while. But it still pales in comparison to Windows. The only thing positive I can say about Mac OS is the ability to link your smartphone, tablet, and computer together to receive calls and texts and such. That's pretty cool. But if Microsoft weren't so pig headed, they'd bring that feature to Windows for Windows Phone, Android and iOS. But they're still living in dreamland and think that Windows Phone still has a chance.

By the way, I personally own an iPhone, iPad, iMac and Macbook Pro. I also own 3 custom built Windows desktops, a Dell Latitude business class laptop, an HP 2-in1, an Alienware 17" gaming laptop, and a Linux desktop. I love technology of all types. I'm just saying it like it is. Windows is great. I'm not a big fan of Android or Mac OS. iOS is okay for a phone OS. But personally, I'd prefer to have Windows on everything. The only reason I even have a Macbook Pro is so I can work on other Mac's. And I'm trying to sell the iMac. It runs way too hot under Windows (a common problem). Apple provided really shoddy drivers for Windows and hasn't optimized them like they have for Mac OS. It's a shame too because iMac's do look really nice. But I don't want it if it's going to burn itself up after 1 year.

 

[MichaelEC]

I love it when you plug in a peripheral and it automatically finds and loads the drivers. It wasn't always this easy, but it is now.

 

[trevm999]

Which is all good when it works. But I've had my fair share of bad drivers, wrong/incompatible drivers downloaded automatically (Not to mention a while back when Windows sent out the wrong drivers via Windows Update for Surface 3). And with Windows 10 it is extra hard to not get Windows to install drivers automatically.

 

[NETWizz]

I have had experiences both ways with Windows... Sometimes it is easy and just works. Other times you have to find a driver. Sometimes, you need to use extraordinary procedures like extracting a driver from an older OS, and sometimes you need to query the Internet based on the PCI_VEN numbers in the Device Manager. It all depends.

Regardless, for printers, the best thing to do is click on the Update Link and let it download ALL the drivers you might possibly need just in case it happens to have the driver. Then the printer will just plain work.

 

[Markverhyden]

Not sure what method was used to add the printer. Most of the time OS X will either download it directly via software update or direct you to download it from the OEM. On top of that linuxprinting.org is an excellent resource for PPD's

And when it comes to printing problems Winblows, a very appropriate name, leads the way by far. I have never had to nuke and pave a *nix machine to fix any printing problem. Can't say the same for M$ OS's. While not common it has happened and I've usually wasted hours trying to fix the problem before getting to that point.

 

[trevm999]

It's not like I'm a really big Apple fan, but being a Mac tech is pretty easy (for the software side, hardware isn't bad either because it is very repetitive). The ability to reload the OS without the customer being able to notice any difference is uncanny.

Personally, I have an iMac because I got it for free, and haven't got around to installing Linux on it yet.

 

[sapphirescales]

I have never had to nuke and pave a *nix machine to fix any printing problem. Can't say the same for M$ OS's.

I've had my fair share of horrible printer problems, but the fault always rests solely on the manufacturer of that printer (shoddy drivers or HORRIBLE software - I'm looking at you HP). Either that or the printer is ancient and should be replaced anyway. I have NEVER had to nuke and pave ANY version of Windows (not even back in the Windows 95 days) in order to get a printer to work. Most of my printer problems stem from the horrible software included by the manufacturer. The solution is, don't install that software. Just the base drivers and use alternative software for the printer functions. It's not Microsoft's fault that so many manufacturers write terrible software for their OS.

 

[johnrobert]

If it comes to nuke and pave a Windoze computer because of a printer problem
I just get another printer sometimes cheaper than buying the ink

 

[GTP]

The solution is, don't install that software. Just the base drivers and use alternative software for the printer functions.

I don't install any software for printers from the disc that comes with the printer. I just let windows detect it and do its thing. The only other driver I get is the scanner driver (if it's a multifunction) from the manufactures website.