Mac OS X should have built-in scanning software. It should work with any scanner or all-in-one that you plug in. Just like the built-in print drivers. And a scanner control panel.
Right now the hodge-podge of proprietary apps and drivers from HP, or Canon, or what-have-you aren’t getting it done, and it’s just a mess. I have an HP PSC 2175 all-in-one. This is a few years old, but still a wonderful device. It actually came with an Apple I ordered level years ago. I’ve never had a [mechanical] problem with it.
Now I can’t get OS X to scan with it, no way, no how. HP hasn’t updated their software to make the scanner portion function with Leopard (but Leopard has built-in drivers for the printer side). And the old drivers from Tiger were working until I updated to 10.5.4. Haven’t been able to scan since.
I even used MacPorts to install Xsane and all its dependencies — it kernel panics my Mac every damn time I try to load it. Something about the USB stack it really doesn’t like.
Anyway — that’s my rant. Apple needs to work on scanning in OS X. *sigh*