I may be missing something. But at least on appearances so far, whilst Apple's +idea+ of having drivers automatically downloaded and installed through Software Update sounds brilliant and so user-friendly, it doesn't seem terribly reliable in practice. And if users may find they can't use their printer/s without a lot of tinkering and chasing obscure solutions - or even can't use them at all because no driver exists -- then it becomes the opposite of user-friendly!!
It doesn't make a lot of sense to release a system upgrade if users are faced with a printing lucky dip - i.e. your printer might or might not work and might or might not turn out to have a driver now (or perhaps ever), and you won't find out one way or 'tother until after you've upgraded.
I spent my first 24 hours finding a very obscure solution to using my Samsung laser ML-2510, involving a hidden function in the Print & Fax prefs. That was resolved yesterday.
Today I'm at work, where my printer is an HP Deskjet F4185. So far I can't use that printer, apparently for a different reason. I try to add the printer -- the system tells me Apple will download the driver -- I get a message back saying the driver isn't available and check software update again later. And then I Iook up the tech support section on the HP site, to read that the old drivers won't support 10.6 (so don't bother installing from the existing disk) and that downloading the drivers from Apple is the only way to go. So who knows when I'll be able to use the only printer at work? (BTW it was released less than 2 years ago.)
As I said, I may be missing something, but it doesn't look encouraging.
It doesn't make a lot of sense to release a system upgrade if users are faced with a printing lucky dip - i.e. your printer might or might not work and might or might not turn out to have a driver now (or perhaps ever), and you won't find out one way or 'tother until after you've upgraded.
I spent my first 24 hours finding a very obscure solution to using my Samsung laser ML-2510, involving a hidden function in the Print & Fax prefs. That was resolved yesterday.
Today I'm at work, where my printer is an HP Deskjet F4185. So far I can't use that printer, apparently for a different reason. I try to add the printer -- the system tells me Apple will download the driver -- I get a message back saying the driver isn't available and check software update again later. And then I Iook up the tech support section on the HP site, to read that the old drivers won't support 10.6 (so don't bother installing from the existing disk) and that downloading the drivers from Apple is the only way to go. So who knows when I'll be able to use the only printer at work? (BTW it was released less than 2 years ago.)
As I said, I may be missing something, but it doesn't look encouraging.
