An Open Letter To HP

Dear HP,

I’ve been using your printers for years and years now. Since I started using Mac OS X more than 5 years ago, the process for installing a printer I thought would become drastically easier. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Rather than just install a simple driver so I can use one of your printers over a USB connection, you make me install an unending number of applications. I don’t need your crappy editing software, fax software, copying software, or any software from you. I just want my printer to work.

But guess what? It still doesn’t. Even after installing everything and connecting the printer via a USB cable, my iMac cannot recognize your printer anymore. It used to, but I guess your Photosmart-series hunk of junk got mad at me and decided to become a pain in my ass. Now, every time I boot up my iMac, I’m forced to deal with some printer maintenance tool. There is no “Do not ask me again” option or anything. This is the last straw. I decided to stop using this printer and went to uninstall the software using YOUR uninstaller.

Your uninstaller hates me, too. It froze every time I tried to get rid of the Photosmart 8200 series option. I had three others that managed to uninstall fine, but this one won’t quit. Finally, I had to break down and search through every folder on my hard drive for anything related to HP. It was tedious, annoying, and shouldn’t have had to be done in the first place. It feels like you unleashed a virus in my iMac.

So from now on HP, I won’t be using any of your printers until you start fixing your software for the Mac. Your printers aren’t bad at all. I actually like quite a few of them and you make other fantastic products as well. Just get the ball rolling on some revamped software for OS X and you’ll be on the path to regaining myself and probably many others as customers. For now, I’ll be having drinks with a lady I like to call “Lexmark.”

Sincerely,
Vincent Veneziani
CrunchGear