User Question. “I just upgraded my operating system and discovered that my scanner isn’t compatible with the new operating system. The scanner is a really nice one and cost several hundred dollars. I called the manufacturer and they said that it isn’t possible to offer new software and drivers to make the old scanners compatible with the new operating systems. They told me they would really like to help me out, but it just isn’t possible. So, each time people upgrade to a new operating system they need to purchase a new scanner and throw the old scanner into landfill or a dumpster somewhere. They said it would take a team of over 100 engineers and programmers working around the clock to develop the software to make an old scanner work with the new operating systems. Even then it might not be possible. So, all they can do is, reluctantly, build new models of scanners to sell. Is this true?”
Response. Unfortunately, the manufacturers are primarily interested in selling more scanners even if it results in harming the environment, misleading consumers, and causing consumers to spend money they really don’t need to spend.
The manufacturers could easily develop drivers as new operating systems are released. They could offer these drivers for little or no cost to consumers. However, they refuse to do so.
To the embarrassment of scanner manufacturers everywhere, there’s a guy named Ed Hamrick in Arizona who wrote a little program called VueScan. It is a scanning software program that runs on Apple or Windows computers and includes drivers for over 500 scanners and 209 digital camera raw files. The Windows version of the software runs on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, x64, and the soon to be released Vista. The Apple version runs on OS X 10.2.8 and above. The software is $49.95 and can be downloaded for a free trial. The professional version is $89.95 and includes an unlimited number of future upgrades.
This certainly makes one wonder why the manufacturers couldn’t offer this.
The program is available here:
http://www.hamrick.com/
You can read more about Ed Hamrick here:
http://www.hamrick.com/abo.html