Windows update broke my printing (but my Chromebook saved my @$$)

About a year ago, after changing yet another swiftly-drained ink cartridge, I swore off HP forever and marched down to the store and got myself a Brother printer. It cost about twice as much as the equivalent HP, but the cartridge life! I’d never have believed it. We (myself and SO) print a lot (many pages per week). I’ve changed cartridges once. In a year. Brother is so recommended.

However, and this is not Brother’s fault, but Microsoft’s: Since about a week ago I cannot print from my Windows machine. After reading in various forums it seems that the June 2020 Windows update broke my ability to print (this is not the first time Microsoft has introduced bugs in its updates. Early on an update broke my ability to connect to the internet).

My chromebook, however, continues to print just fine, even though the ChromeOS has updated itself several times. I have never experienced the level of uncertainty as there is in the Windows Update process.

As an added bonus, using Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Android app to connect through corporate firewall results in less frequent timeouts, at least in my experience.

Microsoft I think does eventually get around to fixing these bugs, but it makes one very hesitant to install any update, especially on a mission-critical or bottleneck device.

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