Still reading around this problem I find references to 'sharing' devices
with other users of a network, but not to sharing with other users of the
same pc using 'fast user switching' in XP.

I have even tried the dodge of using 'run as' to open the device (HP all in
one printer copier fax scanner HP3330mfx: printing is allowed to all users,
but the other functions only work for administrators and I cannot find how
to change this) as an administrator from within a normal 'user' account, but
this just made the system freeze. Even the administrators can only be
logged on to the device one at a time, which makes a mockery of 'fast user
switching'...

I was quite surprised to find a tick box in the 'run as' pop up to 'protect
my computer and data from unauthorised programme activity': seems odd to
hide this somewhere most users will never think of looking! And, in any
case, the ordinary user cannot untick this to gain access to any presumably
unauthorised device functions...

I find references to 'permissions' tabs in 'properties/security' for
'objects', but there are no such tabs in the properties pop ups on this pc
as far as I can find...

Looking to see if these permissions can be set in Management Console, I find
that I cannot open 'groups' properties because 'the Service' is not started:
with no mention of what this Service is (practically all the services listed
in Services appear to be started and there are none that mention groups or
permissions...)

Hmmm,

Any further enlightening thoughts would be appreciated!

Regards,
SteveH