Dave said:
HP hasn't produced Vista software for my 6110 AIO, either.
I purchased VueScan, which works really well. You can try it for free.
http://www.hamrick.com/
Microsoft has apparently convinced the printer people that Vista won't need
their software. This is a very unfortunate situation because Microsoft
hasn't come through on their part of the bargain. We very much need printer
software from the printer vendors for Vista!
I haven't checked, but I don't think scan software is available to all
versions of Vista. So: since the printer vendors aren't going to provide
software for scanners because Microsoft provides it, but Microsoft doesn't
provide it for all versions of Vista, what are those users supposed to do?
Microsoft scan software doesn't take advantage of all the capabilities of
available printers. For example, my Lexmark is capable of scanning at
600dpi, but Microsoft scan software for my Vista Ultimate only does 300dpi,
no more. And there are other benefits I had with Win/ME that I lost going
to Vista.
I realize the problem Microsoft had with printer vendors in the past:
Microsoft posts a preview of a new OS nearly a year before introduction so
the printer vendors can have drivers and software ready by the intro date.
The printer vendors say they only want to work with stable software, so they
drag their feet and their users buy the new OS and can't get drivers for
their printers. The users try to use the OS default drivers which weren't
even made for their printer and aren't anywhere nearly adequate. So,
Microsoft says, "I guess we'll have to do it for them." They then make
generic software for everybody's printers and tell the printer vendors, "We
don't need your software anymore." From here, pick up what I said a couple
of paragraphs ago, that Microsoft then (say, three months before intro date)
decides to offer more complete software (that includes scan) to the more
expensive versions of the OS.
So far, I have encountered several things in Vista that have been inadequate
enough that I would like to buy, but vendors of that software want $50-80,
so three pieces of this software--which I don't use often enough to warrant
a $5 purchase--would cost $240 more.
Which is fine--but I already spent big, big bucks on Ultimate. Since it is
"Ultimate," one would expect that this is the very best package of utilities
bundled together with an OS that anyone outside of a millionaire would want.
I bought an "Ultimate" motherboard from Asus, their Premium Vista
motherboard. It was loaded with many very nice high quality extras that I
probably wouldn't buy separately, but for a few extra dollars I have them
with my motherboard. Not so with Vista Ultimate; it comes with a bunch of
barely adequate or inadequate extras (like their scan software) for four
times what the OS Basic should cost.
Sure, I think Vista is a nice product. But, as I said, I also think
Microsoft let us down with a sky-high price that they have not earned
because of cheap software for printers, backup, etc.
John
