Does Plug and Play Exist Anymore?

Don't explain computers to laymen. Simpler to explain sex to a virgin.
Robert A. Heinlein

The more sophisticated the device, the more migraine producing it is to install. It seems that the good old days of plug and play are gone.

I recently bought a Canon wireless printer. My previous printers, all Canons because the ink is cheap, were plug and play, and I had no reason to believe that this one would be any different. Boy was I wrong! I took the printer out of the box and found that there were now 5 ink cartridges; the previous printer had 2. Still, I had no reason to believe that this would be anything but simple. I installed the ink cartridges, attached the power source and plugged in the printer. Lo and behold it was on, but now the games began.

The printer came with an instructional CD. However, the CD didn’t work so I went directly to the manufacturer’s website. As this is a wireless printer I had to get the computer to speak to my wireless router. As first dates go, this one was a disaster. The printer and router clearly didn’t like each other, so I had to use an alternate method of connecting to the router. The alternate method was quite time consuming. In fact it took more than an hour. At the end of the day, the printer prints.

I long for the days of plug and play when I don’t have to spend a good part of my Saturday afternoon doing battle with technology. Yet, technology will continue to move forward and as each generation of computer and computer related product becomes more sophisticated, they will also become increasingly difficult to install. The only advice I can give you is to stock up on headache medication.

Buying the right computer and getting it to work properly is no more complicated than building a nuclear reactor from wristwatch parts in a darkened room using only your teeth.
Dave Barry

Make someone smile today.

Geri