# When is Windows going to master PnP? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537 "2009-05-06T14:07:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/1 "2009-05-06T14:07:46Z")
Man, I just built a Windows Vista 64 machine, and I am incredulous that they still have no mastered Plug n Play after all of these years. How hard can it be to setup a database that developers can register the most recently updated driver and set it up for automatic download and installation? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/2 "2009-05-06T14:21:56Z")
I havent’ had any issues with PnP. Vista (and windows 7) almost always finds the latest driver and installs it for me whenever I plug anything in. the only problem I ever had was with an old TV tuner. ---
**Author:** ![jormundgondir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jormundgondir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jormundgondir)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/3 "2009-05-06T23:50:23Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > How hard can it be to setup a database that developers can register the most recently updated driver and set it up for automatic download and installation? They actually have a system to do exactly that, and it’s not even that difficult to use. Driver manufacturers are for the most part just _really_ bad at taking advantage of it. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/4 "2009-05-07T00:30:39Z")
It’s impossible to tell if you’re the problem or Windows is the problem unless you tell us what you’re trying to use. Like, complaining that Vista doesn’t recognize your DB9 Gravis GamePad is kind of asinine. Vista doesn’t recognize my Soundblaster 16 card! Vista doesn’t recognize my Voodoo 2 SLI! Vista doesn’t recognize my SideWinder! …I can’t think of any more classic hardware. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/5 "2009-05-07T00:50:23Z")
…Atari 1-button joystick! ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/6 "2009-05-07T00:54:35Z")
… the cassette tape drive from my Vic 20! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/7 "2009-05-07T01:00:24Z")
…my punchcard verion of _Hunt the Wumpus_! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/8 "2009-05-07T01:03:31Z")
… my Ford Model T! ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/9 "2009-05-07T01:57:03Z")
… my Difference Engine! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/10 "2009-05-07T02:04:50Z")
…my Stone Henge! ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/11 "2009-05-07T02:41:48Z")
…my Big Bang! beat that, twerps… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/12 "2009-05-07T02:47:12Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > …my Big Bang! > beat that, twerps… My **Void**! ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/13 "2009-05-07T03:03:40Z")
Windows doesn’t recognize my pane! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/14 "2009-05-07T03:16:54Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > My **Void**! …My bottom turtle in my stack of turtles that goes all the way down! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/15 "2009-05-07T03:27:22Z")
…my Vishnu snooze button! ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/16 "2009-05-07T03:41:53Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > …my Big Bang! > beat that, twerps… …doesn’t recognize your mom! _high fives all around_ ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/17 "2009-05-07T04:29:25Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > …doesn’t recognize your mom! But your mom sure recognizes _my_ windows. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/18 "2009-05-07T07:18:01Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > My **Void**! Vista doesn’t recognize that it is one with the Void. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/19 "2009-05-07T07:19:24Z")
Windows Vista won’t recognise my [VESA local bus graphics card](http://www.adexelec.com/vlbix.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537/20 "2009-05-07T09:05:06Z")
> [@jormundgondir](#): > > They actually have a system to do exactly that, and it’s not even that difficult to use. Driver manufacturers are for the most part just _really_ bad at taking advantage of it. Or maybe they just don’t want to pay Microsoft the fees they charge for using that. That gives a different perspective on who is being “taking advantage of”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-windows-going-to-master-pnp/495537.md?page=2)