This is the answer from Canon Support to the simple question I posed in the second paragraph of my original post:
Thank you for your request and for contacting Canon.
In response to your enquiry concerning the availability of drivers for your Canon PIXMA iP4000 ,we regret to inform you that there are no supported drivers available for this device with your operating system.
You can try to download the Windows 8.1 drivers as they are the closest in similarity to the Windows 10 drivers, however we cannot confirm that they will definitely work.
To explain this lack of availability we would like to provide you with some additional information regarding Canon's policy towards the provision of drivers for new operating systems.
At the time of launch of a new product, Canon generally provides drivers so that the product in question will operate on all existing and known future planned operating systems.
When the launch of a new operating system is announced, Canon reviews the existing product range to see which of these products can be considered for the provision of compatible drivers.
There are many different factors that may influence this decision. These can include (but are not limited to) such factors as the technical compatibility between the new operating system and the Canon product, the cost of driver development, the cost of supporting utility software product updates, the issue of certification of the developed driver by the operating system in question, the expected lifetime of the Canon product and costs associated with quality assurance.
Canon respects the right of its customers to decide to upgrade their operating systems and we attempt to make it clear at the time of purchase which products will function on which operating system.
Furthermore, Canon always advises its customers to check the compatibility of their associated Canon products prior to the upgrade of an operating system. To this purpose, our consumer helpdesk staff are always available to assist customers with such enquiries.
We hope that the information above offers enough explanations with regards to the unavailability of the updated driver that you need.
Once again, thank you for contacting Canon. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact again.
Yours sincerely,
I assume that there is some intelligent life here, and that you all know that the reason new drivers are not produced is simple corporate planned obsolescence. If the equipment was designed in the first place so that drivers could be easily adapted... If the drivers were designed in the first place so that they could be easily adapted... If models were not changed so often for no good reason apart from profit... This is all deliberate policy, it is not an excuse, it is not forgiveable and Canon should not be churning it out in the fond belief that anyone is going to be satisfied. We have to suffer because of choices they made.
Note that having not answered my question Support tells me to contact Support: "Canon always advises its customers to check the compatibility of their associated Canon products prior to the upgrade of an operating system. To this purpose, our consumer helpdesk staff are always available to assist customers with such enquiries." And what will the "consumer helpdesk staff" say ? We know they will just repeat the mantra which has already been published and which is why I asked for further information: "You can try to download the Windows 8.1 drivers as they are the closest in similarity to the Windows 10 drivers, however we cannot confirm that they will definitely work".
Why ? Why can't Canon Services and Support simply test an ip4000 printer with the Win 8 drivers on a Win 10 machine and say precisely what will or won't work ? You, my dear readers, all know the answer. Because they want you to buy a new printer even if you don't need it. They are never going to reveal the true state of affairs.
Good news, everybody. I have borrowed a Win 10 machine. The printer prints. I have not tried out features like the CD tray or colour printing (which I gave up on long ago as uneconomic) but if you want to print a Word document you can. You do not have to buy a new printer. The secret they don't want you to know is out. How much help was Support ? None. Marks out of 10, zero. Just a waste of everyone's time.
Caravelle
