I HATE HP’S INCLUDED SOFTWARE!!! I am trying to scan a document locally and it’s trying to make me sign up to something, WTF!!! Why? Why would anyone want this???
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I’m in the same boat, different HP Printer.
I REALLY need a FOSS alternative.
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Have you tried running CUPS? I don’t know if there was ever a full MS Windows release, but CUPS is the best that you are going to get.
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no I’ve ever even heard of that, do you have a link?
https://www.cups.org/
It is basically a print server that allows you to setup and manage your printer infrastructure through a web interface.
It is a little heavy for your use case, but it is the only opensource solution out there to get you what you need for your HP gear.
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I’ve looked into this, and it seems t’s only for Linux.
Run it on a Pi, WSL/VM or old laptop?
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I want to run it on windows 10, on my main machine.
AND I want it to support all the features of my actual printer. WHY is that a big ask?
I don’t know. Printers and scanners have sucked for a long time. WSL2+usbipd+CUPS+SANE might work but I dunno if I’d recommend it.
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Oh right. To have an open source driver on Windows, the signing certificate you need costs hundreds of dollars a year (for the project). That’s one reason it’s a big ask
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The basic driver package on HP’s website has less bloatware than their “full feature software” but you’ll still get some ink offers and other garbage popups. As a general rule the cheaper the printer/AIO the more crap they bundle with it. Once you move into their Pro or Enterprise product lines it’s actually a good user experience but they are priced outside the budget of most home users.
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Because the majority of F/LOSS is done by volunteers, with no real documentation. The big companies think that if they open source things, they invalidate their copyrights and patents.
The best that you can do from now on is to support those companies that open source or pay for open source projects.
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so is there no hope?
There is always hope that people buy proper printers and not HP.
Back in 2000-2010 HP used to release Linux drivers which helped CUPS that lead to being able to use the scan function like a normal flatbed/page-feed scanner, in their growing desire to turn printers into a service of customers paying for pages on the ink program its a lost cause on consumer HP printers/AIOs. From a budget price point you can buy small business printers for not that much more than a consumer printer and avoid bloatware.
At the current management direction of HP, if you buy any of their consumer printers they’re expecting you to be running Windows for their optional ink program and not using Linux so they have less reason to open loopholes to bypass their Windows bloatware. From personal experience if you plan to heavily use an AIO for daily copying/scanning you’re better off with one of their OfficeJet models as they’re built for being used–if you want to completely avoid HP, I’ve had great luck with Epson WorkForce and Canon printers as they don’t have bloatware.
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But OP IS running windows… just wants an alternative software package to scan stuff?
I would not suggest Adobe, but have you, OR ANYONE ELSE HERE encountered a different scanning app for windows?
I mean, printer drivers should still work without the bloat, but scanning needs a 3rd party app? Or, am I wrong @Matt_Parker and you need the whole shebang?
I have given up on printers and scanners to the point where passing a webcam through to a VM running Android with Microsoft Office Lense installed is a valid option.
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Have you tried uninstalling all but the essential portions of the driver, then using Windows Fax & Scan to scan the document?
Apart from the actual driver, most of the printer software for Windows is unnecessary. If it is a newer printer, and supports IPP and WSD or mDNS/Zeroconf/Bonjour there is a chance that the driver package is entirely unnecessary.
For printing, but not scanning, Gutenprint might have Windows drivers? Whatever you do, be careful what and where you download it from, especially if it is unsigned.
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I skipped the primer all together and just use my phone.
A bit annoying setting up a box out of junk every now and then I need a set focus, but preferred over having a whole printer &scanner etc
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May as well as here: what do you guys consider the least bad printer?
Looking to get away from HP, I went with a Brother MFC-J497DW since it was on sale and paid for by work. It’s complete dogshit. Chokes on Avery labels, needs to be turned off and then on to connect to it via Wi-Fi if you haven’t used it in the last hour, loves to complain about low ink, and the print head likes to clog.
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