Last week, we bought a new HP LaserJet printer (model M118dw) and connected it to our home network. It works fine from Linux, iOS and MacOS, without requiring a printer-specific driver. I understand that the OS printing subsystem can get all the information it needs directly from the printer.

Not so on Windows (2020H2 19042.685). It detects the printer, but apparently fails to install a driver. Manually installing via its IP address works, but only if I respond along the way to a popup from a piece of software calling itself HP Smart, which tried to foist on me an HP account and all manner of unwanted cloud functionality.

Thankfully, it was no problem to uninstall HP Smart afterwards, without losing the ability to print.

Why didn't Windows install a simple built-in PCL6 driver and forced me instead through this rigmarole?