Being Stupid Slows Down Computer Problem Solving

[buster]

Because this is in the 'tips' section of the forum, I'll share this wisdom right at the beginning.

When you are in the midst of solving a problem, your chances of getting a solution are much enhanced if you are not stupid.

My printer told me it had a software update. And being tech savvy, I updated it. Then I went to my laptop and told it to print something. It wouldn't. I spent hours working on the problem and finally after trying what seemed like hundreds of very clever solutions, which I will not enumerate for fear of boring you into a coma, I walked away and after a few days I tried again, hoping magically that it had solved itself. No surprise - it still didn't work.

During the night after this silliness, the mystery of the human brain came to my rescue. I got out of bed, went downstairs to the printer, unplugged it, counted to ten, plugged it back in, went to my laptop and asked it to print an email, which it did immediately.

Hacking 101 during the nineties: If it doesn't work, reboot the software.

(And try your best not to be stupid. Which is equally important.)

[ssfc72]

Good problem solving, Buster. Thanks for sharing, it is a good reminder about the reboot option.

[Jason]

Cool tip. Thanks for sharing.

A word of warning. With inkjet printers, I don't think you should just unplug them. It could be an old tip that doesn't apply anymore but just wanted to let you know. It might only apply if you power off for a while, like an hour or a few. The ink cartridge can dry out because it won't park.

You do a proper shutdown (by pressing or holding the power button usually).

Do you leave your printer on all the time? Maybe that's why the computer didn't detect it. Or maybe it was just Windows.

But William is likely the print expert here. I believe he works for a printing company.

[buster]

"You do a proper shutdown (by pressing or holding the power button usually)."

That sounds boring. Doing things the proper way just doesn't feel right for me.

And the computer always detected the printer. It just wouldn't print after the update. Many problems are easy to solve if we follow the basics. When changing the software often a reboot is necessary.

Being stupid isn't easy you know. Marilyn has to live with me seven days a week, but she's extremely tolerant.

[ssfc72]

Well Buster, I turn off and shut the power off to my Brother inkjet printer, when I finish using it.  I don't think it is wise to do any software updates, when the printer says so. If the printer is working fine, then I don't mess with a software update. Especially when I am using the printer with Linux Distros. :-)

Because this is in the 'tips' section of the forum, I'll share this wisdom right at the beginning.

When you are in the midst of solving a problem, your chances of getting a solution are much enhanced if you are not stupid.

My printer told me it had a software update. And being tech savvy, I updated it. Then I went to my laptop and told it to print something. It wouldn't. I spent hours working on the problem and finally after trying what seemed like hundreds of very clever solutions, which I will not enumerate for fear of boring you into a coma, I walked away and after a few days I tried again, hoping magically that it had solved itself. No surprise - it still didn't work.

During the night after this silliness, the mystery of the human brain came to my rescue. I got out of bed, went downstairs to the printer, unplugged it, counted to ten, plugged it back in, went to my laptop and asked it to print an email, which it did immediately.

Hacking 101 during the nineties: If it doesn't work, reboot the software.

(And try your best not to be stupid. Which is equally important.)

[buster]

Sounds reasonable Bill.

But in contrast, my Brother ink jet is always on, months at a time. I print usually from my laptop on the ground floor, and the printer is in the rec room in the minus one floor below. If it was turned off, I'd have to go downstairs to turn it on, go back upstairs to press print. And I don't like disconnecting and carrying the laptop downstairs.

I also found it interesting that without doing anything at all, by pressing print on both my phone and tablet, these two devices had connected themselves to the printer all on their own and printed. Neither is Windows or Mac.

I think it's magic.

[ssfc72]

Oh, ok that makes a difference.
For about $20 you could buy a remote wireless switched outlet, for the printer to plug in to, if you wanted your printer powered down when it isn't being used. :-)
Edit: oops that wouldn't work, you would still have to go to the printer, to turn it on. :-(

[Jason]

I also found it interesting that without doing anything at all, by pressing print on both my phone and tablet, these two devices had connected themselves to the printer all on their own and printed. Neither is Windows or Mac.

I don't think either of those devices is Windows or Mac.

 I've never had the need to print from a phone or tablet but I usually put the HP software on it to do so. I never tried just seeing if it would show up automatically. With Android, anything is possible. My HP printer shows up automagically in Linux (when it's on). Since Android is based on the Linux kernel, it should be able to do it, too.