why i love my macbook.

utajoker · 6 Feb 2011 at 15:59

i have a wireless printer that came with a cd to install the drivers. tried with a win7 pc and a vista laptop to try to just install the printer through windows, but after a lot of faffing neither could do it so i had to install the software that came with the printer.

today i come to print of something on my macbook and it goes like this:

search for wifi printer.
printer found, setting up.
print.

why cant windows do that :/

same with my digi camera, i plugged it in and before i could even browse the camera files it had opened iphoto and was ready to import them.

Brian8bit · 6 Feb 2011 at 16:05

On the flipside the wireless printer I got my mum for Christmas was a pain in the arse to get configured on Windows, Linux and OS X.

Amp34 · 6 Feb 2011 at 16:06

Generally the can.

Bit like scanners. Just plug and play on a windows machine.

KIA · 6 Feb 2011 at 17:20

It depends on the make & model of the printer.

theheyes · 6 Feb 2011 at 19:30

I would say this is the exception rather than the rule. Since Vista Windows has been great at automatically installing drivers in general, not just printer drivers. If it doesn't work out of the box it's usually just a short trip to Windows Update.

Out of interest, which printer was it?

mikeyp123 · 7 Feb 2011 at 10:19

Strange, never had any issues with W7 and autofinding drivers

cu3ed · 7 Feb 2011 at 10:24

To be fair I didnt have probs with my iMac etc.

But I havnt had any problems with Win7 64 since i swapped over with drivers/ hardware detection etc.

Deleted member 77746 · 7 Feb 2011 at 10:58

fluff said:
It depends on the make & model of the printer.

This is the answer. Due to the fact of compatibility and how much testing these devices go through before roll out to public.

wakayoda · 7 Feb 2011 at 11:20

Never had any issues with it just working for my using Windows XP, it either worked or needed an installation from the supplied disc.

K1LLSW1TCH · 7 Feb 2011 at 12:23

On the flipside, my grandparents friends had a Sony camcorder which I plugged into my MacBook only to find that the Mac refused to even accept the camera was connected. iFail.