OMFG.

Setting this up for my parents. All I want to do is share a printer.

Apparently I need to set up a “homegroup” but the troubleshooter can’t detect why I can’t do this. Then it has another go and succeeds and gives me a nasty looking password. It suggests printing it – good idea. Unspecifed error code. Printer is on, Word can print fine, but the OS can’t. WTF? I thought this was meant to be simple now.

Latest drivers?

you shouldn’t need to use the ‘homegroup’ – it’s W7-specific, you can ignore it.

Completely vanilla install, brand new boxed PC, all updates I can find taken.

Why why why do people still suffer with windows, best thing I ever did was get a Mac, been using OS X for 8 years now and never have problems adding hardware

Also my elderly parents wanted to get a computer for photos, email, browsing I told them to get an iPad as its soo easy to use…..they have been blown away by it especially FaceTime & iMessage, they can wirelessly print as well from it so simple!

@SBrock +1

Why why why do people still suffer with windows, best thing I ever did was get a Mac, been using OS X for 8 years now and never have problems adding hardware

Why why why do people still come onto a Windows thread solely to slag them off. Have you any concept of how bloody tedious it is?

Can’t remember the last time I had a problem installing hardware. Can’t remember ever seeing a Windows user asking for help installing a subsystem that’ll let them use Mac software either.

You like your Mac, fine, I’m very happy for you. Now if you can’t make a positive contribution to the thread, flutter off.

Completely vanilla install, brand new boxed PC, all updates I can find taken.

Have a look on the website for the printer manufacturer, see if there’s updated drivers for it.

Why why why do people still suffer with windows

sometimes you just don’t get the choice.

That says enough to me. Sorry but I am a developer and computers are not that interesting or worth talking about. I could bore the pant of you all by telling you how I had to fix my hover for the third time as the bearing went but I don’t think you would be that interested.

Why why why do people still come onto a Windows thread solely to slag them off. Have you any concept of how bloody tedious it is?

Well it is a forum after all, not just any forum but a STW forum what else do you expect, a place for free speech and discussion. I didnt think I was slagging anybody off, chill out and go for a bike ride!

why are people so stupid and inept that they can use windows.

they can wirelessly print as well from it so simple!

Well, I can’t see to get that to work!

Have a look on the website for the printer manufacturer, see if there’s updated drivers for it.

Of course. Printer *seems* to be working fine and apps can print but the OS won’t print the network password (changing it to something simpler and a pen was the solution). Parents were adamant that they wanted windows again and I use both myself. *Mostly* I’m really impressed with Win7 but troubleshooters that fail and useless error messages don’t inspire complete confidence.

Sorry Cougar, but here goes :
Been Mac’ing it for 3 years now and recently had to use a mates laptop with W7 on it.
Couldn’t get off the laptop fast enough! Just too laborious , OSX far superior when it comes to user friendly and intuitive computing.

I use both Windows and OSX, may I recommend you go to the Microsoft support website called Microsoft Answers. It is one of the few Microsoft products I genuinely think “just works” to coin an Apple phrase.

sputnik – Member
Been Mac’ing it for 3 years now and recently had to use a mates laptop with W7 on it.
Couldn’t get off the laptop fast enough! Just too laborious , OSX far superior when it comes to user friendly and intuitive computing.

Only if you are used to it, surely?
I used a mates mac laptop (macbook?) a while back and was the same as you, but in reverse – couldn’t get off it quick enough. Things that were obvious/intuitive to me with Windows were impossible for me to find on the mac.

Been Mac’ing it for 3 years now and recently had to use a mates laptop with W7 on it.
Couldn’t get off the laptop fast enough! Just too laborious , OSX far superior when it comes to user friendly and intuitive computing.

I’ve been PC’ing it for 20 years now and recently had to use my girlfriend’s laptop with OSX on it.
I couldn’t get off the laptop fast enough! Just too laborious, Windows 7 is far superior when it comes to user friendly and intuitive computing.

Or maybe, just maybe, I’m comparing something I’m experienced with, with something unfamiliar. Hm?

OP, glad you’re sorted. I expect the ‘homegroup’ stuff is cool when you’ve got W7 machines throughout, but in a heterogeneous network it’s a total misfeature IMHO.

I’m with stumpy01 and Cougar on this, every time I get stuck with a Mac I can’t just can’t get off the horrendous lump of user-unfriendly crap fast enough!

and auto-hide of the taskbar still doens’t work…

I must be a weirdo, as flick between the 2 just fine. Both have their pros and cons.

User in, gotten used to one operating system and uses another and finds it unfamiliar shocker!
😉

Or maybe, just maybe, I’m comparing something I’m experienced with, with something unfamiliar. Hm?

I use both. iMac at home, Windows at work.

Now, I’m a BIG fan of keyboard shortcuts. Use ’em all the time. So I had to learn some new ones for the Mac, whick took a bit of learning, and I specced the trackpad, not a mouse, as I like my laptop trackpad. The Mac trackpad is uttery superb. Once youve put the effort in to actually LEARN how to use it. The gestures simply wipe the floor with everything else

Now I only use trackpads and the Mac keyboard is virtually the same as a laptop one.
The thing I now hate is full size keyboards and mice! They are SHOCKINGLY clunky and slow.

Which is the best?

Well, my personal preference is Mac, which is why I bought one, but I hear W7 is better (We use XP at work)
But you’ve just got to learn how to use it! 🙂