Just had to install my PIXMA 3000 printer driver as part of another windows XP reinstall.

Canon (Australia at least) have changed their driver download process to be driven by an ActiveX control, which means you can't do it in Firefox.

It didn't offer any alternative either, so when I go to install it under linux, I'll be screwed, and will have to dig up an old driver from somewhere.

But why do I need an ActiveX control to install a PRINTER DRIVER? How are they even related?

Next, the stupid ActiveX installer takes over the entire screen and wont let you Alt-Tab or anything.

This is a Multi-Tasking operating system guys. Windows has been since v3.1 with decently behaved apps. I do want to be doing other things while my printer install happens, since it takes like 10+ minutes!

Looks like they dumbed things down for Average Joe, making it a royal pain in the ass for geeks.

Message to Canon guys, the only people who download drivers are geeks.
Average Joe doesn't know how to do it, they are the ones that put the CD in and install via the "Easy Install" button and get all the extra crap you put on the cd installed as well.

Congratulations Canon. You still make nice printers, but your driver download process (which is still _way_ in front of HP) is getting suckier.