Who's fault is hardware compatibility?

I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer. When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe 95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do I
blame?

"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem
was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when
they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do
I
blame?


Microsoft. On company.
Hardware makers. Many companies.

You really expect Microsoft to support every piece of hardware that has ever
existed, all hardware that currently exists, and all hardware that will
exist sometime later? Get real. If the hardware maker wants their product
usable under some operating system then it is up to them to figure out how
to write an appropriate driver for that operating system. Some hardware
vendors like to have the operating system support their hardware
out-of-the-box so they go through the process of submitting their product to
the operating system's author to get it okayed and included. That costs
money and time which most hardware makers won't bother with.

Whose fault is it that a light bulb burns out? The power company or the
light bulb maker? Say you switch over from 120V to 240V. Is it the power
company's fault that the hardware you choose to use doesn't support 240V?
Come on, get real. Microsoft's responsibility is to THEIR product, not to
support everyone else's product.

A manufacturer claiming that some later version of an operating system is
just making a wish that it does. Obviously how will a manufacturer actually
know what IS that later operating system? They don't. They can only hope.
It's called marketing! What if Microsoft finally wised up and started a
whole separate line for an operating system that dumped all backward
compatibility and started off on a bright new and smarter course for an
operating system? Well, everything you have would be incompatible *if* YOU
made the choice to switch.

You are thinking in reverse. You pick what are your critical and/or
required applications. You pick what you will need as regards to hardware
to support those required tasks. You then lastly pick an operating system
that lets you achieve those goals. If you have a vinyl LP then you get a
record player. If you have a CD then you get a CD player. You don't go
buying a gadget to play media that doesn't exist yet and then complain that
the media never shows up. That was the risk you chose to take. If an
operating system doesn't meet your criteria then don't use it. I have
software and hardware that won't run under Windows XP (or any NT-based
version of Windows) so it runs on a host or in a bootable partition with
Windows 98.

If you have hardware that is *critical* to your operations then use the
operating system appropriate for it. You could use multibooting to load
Windows XP to use that when you need it, boot to Windows 98 when you need
that operating system, or boot to Linux or some other operating system for
whatever critical functionality is required by that operating system. You
could use Virtual PC or VMware to run concurrent instances of operating
systems (with the incumbent performance degradation from sharing the
hardware). However, I suspect your "critical" hardware is something like a
scanner, joystick, or something else that really isn't critical as those can
be replaced with compatible hardware. If you want to play your game then
use the operating system that supports it.

--
__________________________________________________ _______________
******** Post replies to newsgroup - Share with others ********
Email: lh_811newsATyahooDOTcom and append "=NEWS=" to Subject.
__________________________________________________ _______________

"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem
was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when
they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do
I
blame?

Drivers for hardware are the responsibility of the hardware manufacturer.

It would be unreasonable to expect manufacturers to make all hardware
"forward" compatible with operating systems that do not at the time of their
production yet exist.

If the device in question is no longer going to be supported with new
drivers by the manufacturer, or the device is simply of a design that can
not be made to work with newer operating systems/computer architecture your
choices are few. Bite the bullet and obtain hardware that is compatible with
your newer operating system/computer or choose a configuration that allows
you to continue to use the operating system with which the device is
compatible.

Thus is the nature of changing technologies. I'm sure somewhere NASA has a
whole bunch of Apollo hardware the spent millions on that doesn't work in
the Space Shuttle. I know I have a trunk full of old tape drives, slow CD
ROMs and writers and other junk I can no longer use. I save them to give to
friends, family and local organizations with older systems that can make use
of them. I even have a handful of 1MB 30 pin SIMMS that I paid about $45.00
a piece for. (nobody wants those:-) )

Depending on what sort of devices your having problems with you might try
(if available) a Windows 2000 driver. Those sometimes work under Windows XP

--
D

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.

Candace wrote:
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not
support. Is this a windows issue?

Nope.


Or is this an issue of the hardware
manufacturer. When I purchased these products, the system
requirements were windows (maybe 95) and higher.

If the requirement was Windows 95, then the products are a decade old. Why
should they still be supported?!

One of the
manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem was to put the
hardware product in the trash.

You could do that....


What should a consumer do when they
have paid for products that they can no longer use?

Donate them to charity. There are many charities who will take legacy
hardware and donate it to schools in the 3rd World - your ancient hardware
will make all the difference to the life of a schoolchild in Africa or
India, for example.

Hardware isn't
disposable.

No it isn't - it's donatable.

I take good care of these things so that I can throw them
away when they are still in good mechanical condition?

With something like a parallel port scanner you don't have any choice -
Windows XP does *NOT* support the use of the parallel port for scanning. In
fact, I can forsee a time when motherboards no longer have a parallel port -
it's basically obsolete.

Isn't someone
responsible to provide updated drivers?

Nope. There may be native drivers within Windows but, beyond that, not at
all. The Windows drivers may not have all the features you were used to with
the manufacturer's driver.

Seems like they have falsely
advertised their product when they said (current) windows and higher.

Oh come on! Use some common sense! Do you really think it makes good
financial and business sense for a manufacturer to support their products ad
infinitum?! Epson, for example, have produced 1000s of printers, scanners
cameras and projectors over the years. If they had to support every single
unit they'd ever manufactured back to the dawn of the company, they'd never
have the resources to produce new products! Why is it "false advertising"?!
Did they have a time machine?! Did they travel to the future to all the
future releases of Windows?! Ye gods you are blonde!


But, can the manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the
old drivers?

Nope. Of course you can't install 95 drivers under XP!


Who do I blame?

Yourself for being so ridiculously stupid!

--
Facon - the artificial bacon bits you get in Pizza Hut for sprinkling
on salads.

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
Candace wrote:
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not
support. Is this a windows issue?
snip
Who do I blame?

Yourself for being so ridiculously stupid!

Well, perhaps more accurate is that it is not the hardware or software
manufacturer's fault for the lack of education, lack of experience, and
especially for the lack of planning by Candace. Candace voiced the
uneducated opinion of the inexperienced.

I am just going to reply in a short and sweet response.

We are in an age where technology does not outlast our operating systems
where it used to be the opposite maybe 7+ years ago.

If you think XP is bad, you are going to love Longhorn. Longhorn will be
the first OS to completely skip legacy hardware. That means that if you have
a Sound Blaster PCI 128, a TNT2 video card, or a chipset that predates back
to the early Athlon days, you will be out of luck.

Anyway, enough of that tangent. What I am trying to say here is that
hardware manufacturers pump out new hardware so fast that they are caring
less and less about driver support for older devices. As newer products are
sold cheaper then their predecessors, they are no longer taking that extra
effort into R&D for anything older. Scanners have to be the worst for this
sort of scenario. Do you know how many people complain that they can't find
drivers for their old Visioneer scanner? Too many...

In the end, is it the hardware manufacturers responsibility to keep the
compatibility up to snuff, and also the consumers to make the effort to
research the compatiblity before buying any piece of hardware. Did I mention
that ATi stopped producing drivers for 98?

"Candace" wrote:

I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer. When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe 95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do I
blame?

The hardware manufacturer. Providing drivers has always been their
responsibility.

Note that work-arounds and alternative drivers have been found for
many items where the manufacturer did not provide drivers for Windows
XP.

If you could post a reply back here and include the make and model of
the hardware items that you are having trouble with, someone may know
of a solution.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

Hi Candace,

I have read all the other responses to your post, none of them mentioned, MS
offers you a scan of your system to see if it is XP compatible!!! Did you do
the scan and decide whether it would be worth your time and money to go to
XP?? You had the chance to stick with your old system where your old
hardware was happy, and I suppose you were too.

Sad to say, in response to, "Who do I blame?", it's you.

JAX

"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem
was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when
they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do
I
blame?

"Seems like they have falsely advertised their product when they said
(current) windows and higher."

Higher at the time of manufacture - NOT at time of purchase or at ANY time
in the future.

I agree whole heartedly with JAX. When I upgraded to WinXP I new exactly
what hardware would work and what required replacement. This information
came from my own research prior to the upgrade.

r.

"JAX" wrote in message
...
Hi Candace,

I have read all the other responses to your post, none of them mentioned,
MS offers you a scan of your system to see if it is XP compatible!!! Did
you do the scan and decide whether it would be worth your time and money
to go to XP?? You had the chance to stick with your old system where your
old hardware was happy, and I suppose you were too.

Sad to say, in response to, "Who do I blame?", it's you.

JAX

"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support.
Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem
was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when
they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them
away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do
I
blame?

Hi Mamniar,

Thanks for the support.

"Seems like they have falsely advertised their product when they said
(current) windows and higher."

The OP stated, "When I purchased these products, the system requirements
were windows (maybe 95) and higher."

I would interpret that to mean anything in current distribution, not to mean
anything that may possibly come in the future. Would Henry Ford have
guaranteed the wheels for his cars to fit a new Mustang? Things change, most
not so rapidly as the computer world.

Cheers, JAX

"namniar" this@that wrote in message
...
"Seems like they have falsely advertised their product when they said
(current) windows and higher."

Higher at the time of manufacture - NOT at time of purchase or at ANY time
in the future.

I agree whole heartedly with JAX. When I upgraded to WinXP I new exactly
what hardware would work and what required replacement. This information
came from my own research prior to the upgrade.

r.

"JAX" wrote in message
...
Hi Candace,

I have read all the other responses to your post, none of them mentioned,
MS offers you a scan of your system to see if it is XP compatible!!! Did
you do the scan and decide whether it would be worth your time and money
to go to XP?? You had the chance to stick with your old system where your
old hardware was happy, and I suppose you were too.

Sad to say, in response to, "Who do I blame?", it's you.

JAX

"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support.
Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the
problem was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when
they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them
away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised
their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who
do I
blame?

Two mistakes on my part, first I misspelled your name. Second, I forgot, the
OP made both statements.

Happy computing, JAX


"JAX" wrote in message
...
Hi Mamniar,

Thanks for the support.

"Seems like they have falsely advertised their product when they said
(current) windows and higher."

The OP stated, "When I purchased these products, the system requirements
were windows (maybe 95) and higher."

I would interpret that to mean anything in current distribution, not to
mean anything that may possibly come in the future. Would Henry Ford have
guaranteed the wheels for his cars to fit a new Mustang? Things change,
most not so rapidly as the computer world.

Cheers, JAX

"namniar" this@that wrote in message
...
"Seems like they have falsely advertised their product when they said
(current) windows and higher."

Higher at the time of manufacture - NOT at time of purchase or at ANY
time in the future.

I agree whole heartedly with JAX. When I upgraded to WinXP I new exactly
what hardware would work and what required replacement. This information
came from my own research prior to the upgrade.

r.

"JAX" wrote in message
...
Hi Candace,

I have read all the other responses to your post, none of them
mentioned, MS offers you a scan of your system to see if it is XP
compatible!!! Did you do the scan and decide whether it would be worth
your time and money to go to XP?? You had the chance to stick with your
old system where your old hardware was happy, and I suppose you were
too.

Sad to say, in response to, "Who do I blame?", it's you.

JAX

"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support.
Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the
problem was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do
when they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them
away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised
their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who
do I
blame?

Candace wrote:

I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer. When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe 95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do I
blame?

Blame the system integrator - the person who decided that one piece of
hardware provided by one vendor would be compatible with another piece of
software provided by another vendor.

Oh, that's you, eh? Didn't you check to see if the hardware in question
was on the Hardware Compatibility List for XP? Live and learn.
--
Cheers, Bob

In article , Vanguard no_email wrote:
"Candace" wrote in message
...
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not support. Is
this a windows issue? Or is this an issue of the hardware manufacturer.
When
I purchased these products, the system requirements were windows (maybe
95)
and higher. One of the manufacturers told me the way to solve the problem
was
to put the hardware product in the trash. What should a consumer do when
they
have paid for products that they can no longer use? Hardware isn't
disposable. I take good care of these things so that I can throw them away
when they are still in good mechanical condition? Isn't someone
responsible
to provide updated drivers? Seems like they have falsely advertised their
product when they said (current) windows and higher. But, can the
manufacturer help that Windows XP doesn't support the old drivers? Who do
I
blame?


Microsoft. On company.
Hardware makers. Many companies.

You really expect Microsoft to support every piece of hardware that has ever
existed, all hardware that currently exists, and all hardware that will
exist sometime later? Get real. If the hardware maker wants their product

[... lots of words deleted]

hardware). However, I suspect your "critical" hardware is something like a
scanner, joystick, or something else that really isn't critical as those can
be replaced with compatible hardware. If you want to play your game then
use the operating system that supports it.
Email: lh_811newsATyahooDOTcom and append "=NEWS=" to Subject.


Microsoft Virtual PC and VMware are tools that make it possible to
ancient stuff on the latest and greatest PC hardware. VM is great for
old software apps and some hardware.

You didn't name the products you're having problems with. If you did
we'd have a better idea what the problem is. The short answer to you
question is, as others have said, at length, is with the hardware
manufacturer, and they are under no oblication to support a new OS
after all these years. We've discarded lots of hardware that "still
works".











--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
----

Vanguard -- Show some respect! Not every person in this forum is computer
savy and computers aren't everybodies life.
If we were all experts in this field, then there wouldn't be much need for
this forum. -- Ed55

"Vanguard" wrote:

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
Candace wrote:
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not
support. Is this a windows issue?
snip
Who do I blame?

Yourself for being so ridiculously stupid!

Well, perhaps more accurate is that it is not the hardware or software
manufacturer's fault for the lack of education, lack of experience, and
especially for the lack of planning by Candace. Candace voiced the
uneducated opinion of the inexperienced.

Unfortunately Ed55, vanguard & Tick are both candidates for A$$hole of the
Year award. If you search their posts, its hit or miss if you will get a
reasonable reply or some random venom caused by their misplaced superiority
complexes.

"Ed55" wrote in message
...
Vanguard -- Show some respect! Not every person in this forum is computer
savy and computers aren't everybodies life.
If we were all experts in this field, then there wouldn't be much need for
this forum. -- Ed55

"Vanguard" wrote:

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
Candace wrote:
I'm having a problem with 2 hardware products that XP does not
support. Is this a windows issue?
snip
Who do I blame?

Yourself for being so ridiculously stupid!

Well, perhaps more accurate is that it is not the hardware or software
manufacturer's fault for the lack of education, lack of experience, and
especially for the lack of planning by Candace. Candace voiced the
uneducated opinion of the inexperienced.