Good Scanning Software Suggestions

P

Peteman100

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
1,466
I just got an all-in-one printer and don't want to use the crappy included software. What are some suggestions for a good, free scanning program? I don't need any particular functionality at this time, just something general purpose that works well. Thanks!
 
I struggle to perform comparisons when I dont know what I'm comparing to.
 
I installed just the driver for my HP all-in-one and use irfanview to do all my scanning. It just uses the simple TWAIN source.
 
Another nod for something that just picks up the scanner using the standard TWAIN interface. Most every image editing tool out there can do this using the Import function.
 
Which make/model do you have?
What is your typical use of the scanner...what kind of files are you scanning to? And what software to manipulate those files?

Many models out there, you don't need the oft bloated software that comes with the CD, you can often download/install barebones "corporate bundle" drivers.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Which make/model do you have?
What is your typical use of the scanner...what kind of files are you scanning to? And what software to manipulate those files?

Many models out there, you don't need the oft bloated software that comes with the CD, you can often download/install barebones "corporate bundle" drivers.
Click to expand...

I was actually able to just grab the drivers off of Windows Update. That isn't my problem. I was looking for suggestions for a program which can handle the software end of scanning, if I need to make a digital copy of a document. Nothing really specific. I was wondering what you all use. But I found that there is a very basic program built into Vista, so I will probably just use that.
 
Peteman100 said:
I was looking for suggestions for a program which can handle the software end of scanning, if I need to make a digital copy of a document. Nothing really specific. I was wondering what you all use.
Click to expand...

There usually is...but need to know what kinds of stuff you're scanning and what you wish to do with it.

It won't do you much good for me to tell you you can snag a scanned file directly via Word when you want to take a photo scan and edit it using some graphics program, would it? Or visa versa if you wanted to OCR a document.

IMO the shortest, easiest route is to snag a scanned file via the software you use to "work" with it, not seek some "man in the middle" software to snag from the scanner..and then you have to snag from it's repository.

Actually there's another, IMO, shortest easiest route. Many office grade machines now scan directly to folder from a menu right on the scanner...shove that file right to a Windows folder share on the network. Doesn't get much easier than that.
 
Personally, I use Windows Photo Gallery (Vista in this case though I think XP has something close to the same - don't ask me to remember the name) as it does what I want and I don't have to get anything extra to make it work. It doesn't do much of anything really fancy but it works perfectly for scanning expense receipts and documents for emailing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top