Epson Treats Mac Users Like Second-Class Citizens?

Robert Jung writes "Is Epson waging a coordinated discrimination effort against Mac users? MacSlash reports that Epson is refusing to honor their $50 rebate coupon if the printer was purchased at an Apple retail store, and Daily Mac notes that if you want Mac OS X drivers for Epson scanners, you must fill out a form, fork over $4, and wait for the mail to arrive -- while Windows users are able to download XP drivers for free." Apparently, Mac OS (Classic) users can also download the drivers for free. Maybe they assume Mac OS X users don't have Internet access?

Comments

what problem?

[macsox]

i have an epson stylus photo 780 and the drivers are readily available at epson.com. they are the only company of all of the peripherals i own with an accurate mac os x info page. not to mention the fact that epson rolls drivers for many of their printers into mac os installs and updates. it seems like a good, simple way to do it.

Re:what problem?

[DavidRavenMoon]

If his apps run natively in OS X, then they are using the Carbon API. Unless he suddenly stopped using all of mis Macintosh Applications and switched to NeXT applications which were ported to Cocoa. Carbon is a clarified Mac OS API, which runs equally well between Mac OS X and Mac OS classic (as long as you have CarbonLib installed. Almost all Mac OS 8.5 and above have this, it's a free download for 8.1).

Have you tried your Ofice X on Mac OS 9?

This is not exactly true. Carbon apps can be made to run in both OS X and OS 9, or made to only run in OS X.

MS Office v. X is carbon and does not run in OS 9.

The real solution, albeit a bit awkward, is to press the preview button on the print dialog, and save the file as a PDF file, then print from the classic version of Acrobat Reader. This is what I had to do before Epson released the drivers for my Stylus Photo 870.

Rebate's

[The Donald]

You kept copies of everything, right? When I have this problem with rejections of rebates, I give one call to the rebate provider (Most likley not Espon, a secondary company that fulfulls the request), then write a letter to or call your Atty. General of your state. Explain the situation. Just read the fine print on your rebate. If could say "Not valid at Apple stores", but I did not see that on any rebate form. Usually, second letter to the rebate company, sent certified, with a notice saying that the rejection was sent to your Atty. General's office will get some results.

Epson Printer Rebates and store.apple.com

[tbmaddux]

I found the $30 rebate for my Epson C80 in PDF format here. Note that it specifically excludes purchases at Gateway stores in the fine print.

Perhaps there was similar fine print for the Stylus Photo 820 (for which there is no rebate coupon at the Apple store online)?

Caveat emptor!

Re:Been seeing this in general

[LordNimon]

Part of the problem is that OS 9 users outnumber OS X users by a significant margin. Every day, the ratio changes slightly in favor of OS X, but it will be a long time before it hits 50/50.

Now, of the people who actually buy new software/hardware, the ratio of OS X to OS 9 users is higher. People who are still using a PowerMac 8600, which doesn't support OS X, probably aren't buying a whole lot of new hardware or software anyway.

Another "excuse" I've heard is that some vendors are waiting for Apple to include certain features in OS X before first. What would be the point of writing a multimedia driver if the multimedia subsystem in OS X is going to be rewritten in the next version (for example)? I think Creative is using this excuse for their Sound Blaster Live cards. It doesn't surprise me, Creative Labs has a history of lying about the capabilities of operating systems they don't want to support.

whatever

[great_plains]

I've got an epson printer, and it's the only printer I've ever found that has Serial (mac style,) USB, AND parallel - How is that discrimination against mac?

Epson will be allowing free downloads...

[MysteryMilk]

I read this article too, and contacted Epson. According to Epson's customer relations the $3.99 charge for the Mac OS X scanner drivers are for shipping only. This is only for those who don't, or can't download the drivers, but want and actual CD. Epson normally charges $9.95 for for replacement or updated driver CDs, so this is actually a good price. When the drivers are released, the CDs will ship, and the drivers will be available for download...for free! I'm sorry the person who wrote the DailyMac.com article didn't do any research, or actually read the details of this. Mop-Boy