Sit a non-programmer relative in front of each, and have them plug in a printer. One of them will end up with malware and maybe be able to print something, the other will almost certainly not even notice that they didn't have to do anything to make the print item in gmail put words on paper.
replyIt amazes me in 2026 Windows printers still need drivers. This was a solved problem on iOS in 2010 and shortly after on MacOS with AirPrint
replyBoth of my WIFi printers just magically appear on my Linux machines too, without any messing around.
reply> Put your non-programmer relative in front of each, have them do some common simple tasks, like print an email on their printer, and ask them.
replyMy grandma does this all the time from her Linux laptop. My grandpa needed help getting it to work the first time under Windows.
This sounds disingenuous. How does your grandma fare on Windows? Can your grandpa even navigate Linux? For all I know, your grandma could be a HN user and your grandpa a plumber.
replySetting up printers on Linux is way easier than windows. Usually you don't have to do anything at all special at all as long as it's a fairly well known manufacturer. ChromeOS is just linux after all, and it uses the exact same CUPS infra under the hood, and it works just fine.
replyOn Windows you often have to download and install drivers, which is always a headache.
> as long as ...
replyManufacturers selling Linux computers could attach little stickers with ""As long as..." Inside", to commemorate the official motto of "The Year of the Linux Desktop", for the last 30 years. :P
Something like those eMachines "never obsolete" stickers - always current year because this year is The Year of Linux on the Desktop.
replyTbh all OSs handle printers that way. Ones that have drivers “just work.” It’s just that if you buy any printer in the store you can be assured that if it isn’t on that list of drivers that ships with the OS, there will be a driver for Windows and Mac from the manufacturer. You don’t get that assurance automatically with another OS.
replyFor the most part, to support Macs and iOS devices they just support AirPrint and don’t ship with drivers at all
replyWindows ships with a universal IPP driver that works for any printer which is Mopria certified; similar to AirPrint.
replyThere's very little reason to install print drivers anymore on Windows.
> as long as
reply*except HP