If It Prints, I'll Let You Know

Usually, pieces of computer hardware are installed immediately upon first connection — thanks primarily to driver recognition technology developed by software buffs down in Silicon Valley. If the drivers are not found within the archive of drivers in your computer, the hardware automatically installs its own drivers, thereby saving you the hassle of doing it yourself. In the instances that your printer’s driver is not available, you can easily download it online. That’s how easy it is.

However, there are known kinks in Windows Vista, especially regarding its Plug and Play capabilities. The set of preloaded drivers is usually useless, and it’s a real pressing issue with printers. Most early printer models have no Vista-compatible drivers, and you would experience one of two things when working with these on Vista — either your printer won’t work or it would get funny glitches that would make you wish that you hadn’t turned on the flaming thing in the first place. This is definitely annoying, since people are often less willing to dispose of their printer and replace it with a new one.

Thankfully, most of these issues have been resolved through the constant updating of printer manufacturers. If you’re one of those people with a worn out and antiquated printer, though, the chances of it working on Windows Vista are highly variable. If the manufacturer chose to come up with Vista-compatible drivers, then that’s a good thing. But if they didn’t, then maybe it’s time to consider buying a brand new printer.

Even if Microsoft has already released the newer and far less clunkier Windows 7, those who want to stick with Vista would do well to follow these tips if they want to get the most out of their printer. Get the latest drivers, or get a new printer. It’s your call to make.

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