quote:
Originally posted by rav0
CookieRevised, most of your post is correct, however, I have some comments.
quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
Print drivers are also notorious in such stuff. Many companies (HP particular) install really useless crap if you choose the "complete" installation procedures. You don't need all that stuff to print a document. In fact you don't need anything except the windows driver...
Not everything of a printer can be accessed without specialised software, however, if all the software does is show ink levels and advertise its brand, then it is indeed, useless.
I have never come across any printer where you couldn't access all the properties thru the normal way (and I have tested and used a lot of printers from basic ones to very advanced ones). This is because the "properties" and "advanced" button you'll see in printer dialogs always starts up these 'special brand property' windows. Especially the software from the HP ones is always redundant and thus useless.
I have never ever come across any background process for printers which was actually needed in any situation.