Printing in Windows 7

So Windows 7 is here. This blog post is rather outdated as far as that is concerned. What’s missing still is becoming more of a frustration though, as neither the HP P1006 or Canon laser printer I have are currently supported.

From the Canon website:

Canon will support its laser printer, multifunctional, fax and personal copier products with Windows 7. Detailed information will be available closer to start of sales of Windows 7.

Well Canon, that was a few weeks ago, time to wake up. HP’s statement if you choose Windows 7 from their official support page is similarly unenlightening:

HP is committed to providing the best experience for HP products in the Windows 7 operating environment.

Today, a solution for your product is not available in Microsoft’s Windows 7. However, a full solution driver download will be available in late November 2009.

Apparently the HP P1006 can be coerced to install with a bit of work and the original driver CD. Fortunately I have a multifunction printer that is fine and no real urge to force drivers onto my shiny new install. Neither the Canon or HP site offers an email notification when drivers are available, which is rather inexcusable from two of the biggest companies around.

The reason for these printers not working eludes me. Whilst the HP P1006 is not a “real” printer (instead it relies on software that runs on the PC to send a sequence of dots) the Vista drivers apparently do work, so it should just be a case of testing and signing the drivers for Windows 7. With the most open beta program that Microsoft have ever run, this shouldn’t have been hard.

All this aside, Windows 7 is a really nice upgrade from XP. Microsoft have put in a lot of effort to make it work first time and it’s a real shame that Canon and HP botched this with a serious fail.