While I hate many things about printers, I’ll give them credit for being better than they were. Installing printer drivers a few years back was a fucking nightmare. Now most of the time I can just find the printer on the network and send it. No special software, no “Have Disc” menu headache. Shit just works.
There’s exceptions for stuff like plotters, but when a print job uses $40 of ink and paper I kinda want it to be a PITA so people don’t decide to just print out every map revision for every meeting when a pdf on the big screen does the job just fine.
And scanning still sucks. A lot. Like - a crazy amount. Why is scanning to a USB drive still the most convenient way to get a file larger than the email limit to my computer?
And scanning still sucks. A lot. Like - a crazy amount. Why is scanning to a USB drive still the most convenient way to get a file larger than the email limit to my computer?
Honest question: what about scanning to WebDAV/Nextcloud/SMB-Share/Paperless-NGX?
what about scanning to WebDAV/Nextcloud/SMB-Share/Paperless-NGX?
Manufacturers seem to have by and large decided that those features are reserved for professional office units priced at >$400, and for everything that can’t scan directly to network drive without a computer you can only operate the machine directly (ie pushing the buttons on the machine) if you have Windows or Mac. Linux users must use a desktop app, browser interface, or smartphone app.
Only because they have enshitified the consumer multi-function devices. They all have the computing power for direct scan-to-network to be standard feature at any price tier.
While I hate many things about printers, I’ll give them credit for being better than they were. Installing printer drivers a few years back was a fucking nightmare. Now most of the time I can just find the printer on the network and send it. No special software, no “Have Disc” menu headache. Shit just works.
There’s exceptions for stuff like plotters, but when a print job uses $40 of ink and paper I kinda want it to be a PITA so people don’t decide to just print out every map revision for every meeting when a pdf on the big screen does the job just fine.
And scanning still sucks. A lot. Like - a crazy amount. Why is scanning to a USB drive still the most convenient way to get a file larger than the email limit to my computer?
I’m old enough to remember when printers didn’t need drivers.
echo Hello World > lpt1I have a functioning ancient Canon printer in my office that can do that. 🌚
Would still be using it if not for safety concerns regarding old laser printers.
Honest question: what about scanning to WebDAV/Nextcloud/SMB-Share/Paperless-NGX?
Manufacturers seem to have by and large decided that those features are reserved for professional office units priced at >$400, and for everything that can’t scan directly to network drive without a computer you can only operate the machine directly (ie pushing the buttons on the machine) if you have Windows or Mac. Linux users must use a desktop app, browser interface, or smartphone app.
It’s ten times easier to take a picture and crop it tbh
That is going to be absolutely far worse quality than a scan.
Only because they have enshitified the consumer multi-function devices. They all have the computing power for direct scan-to-network to be standard feature at any price tier.