generic printer drivers - what are they?

print...@nowhere.com

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Apr 21, 2005, 2:41:29 AM4/21/05

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HP informed me that the driver for the 990c is the generic driver for the 6100 series. They mentioned
that it's the driver that get's installed for network printer. My question is: I've never heard of this
concept of a generic driver. Is there a list of these along maybe some sort of explanation somewhere?
For example, I hate the driver for my Office Jet T45, I would like to use a lighter weight driver
without all the software and print manager.

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measekite

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Apr 21, 2005, 10:18:02 AM4/21/05

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In very early versions of Windows this generic driver was called
unidriver (universal driver)

ato...@hotmail.com

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Apr 21, 2005, 3:04:45 PM4/21/05

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On 21-Apr-2005, measekite <meas...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I've never heard of this
> >concept of a generic driver.

It's a generalised, suit as many devices as possible driver,
not optimised for a particular piece of hardware.

With modems you can select a specific USRobotics model,
or go for a generic external 56k modem. In the latter
case you could connect a Zoom, USR, or Microcom
and they would work because they use a common
set of AT control codes.

Linux is mostly generic drivers, since until recently,
and even now, mfrs don't supply Linux drivers. Buy
a digi camera and it won't say Linux on the box,
and many don't say Mac. Had to check this when
buying a camera for my daughter, she has a new
Mac laptop. Found a Pentax that said Mac supported.

Bob Headrick

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Apr 21, 2005, 10:55:44 PM4/21/05

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<print...@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:42674b19$1...@127.0.0.1...

> HP informed me that the driver for the 990c is the generic driver for the
> 6100 series. They mentioned
> that it's the driver that get's installed for network printer. My question
> is: I've never heard of this
> concept of a generic driver. Is there a list of these along maybe some sort
> of explanation somewhere?
> For example, I hate the driver for my Office Jet T45, I would like to use a
> lighter weight driver
> without all the software and print manager.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=c00302767&lc=en
has a list of generic drivers for various Officejet products including the T45.
Basically the generic driver is just a printer driver that has basic
functionality, often the PCL drivers for the printer model the all-in-one
device was based on.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

Yianni

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Apr 23, 2005, 7:40:40 PM4/23/05

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Bob, I searched the site for alternative drivers for deskjet printers, but I
haven't found the corresponding page. Could you please instruct me?

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Yianni
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Bob Headrick

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Apr 24, 2005, 12:34:37 PM4/24/05

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"Yianni" <i...@mailbox9.gr> wrote in message news:1114299666.30605@athnrd02...

> Bob, I searched the site for alternative drivers for deskjet printers, but I
> haven't found the corresponding page. Could you please instruct me?

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bpd04838
has a list of alternative drivers for DeskJet printers. Most DeskJet's support
PCL and the DeskJet 550C driver will work.