SanDisk ImageMate 12-in-1 card reader/writer

I just received my new SanDisk ImageMate 12-in-1 card reader. Like the Panasonic Lumix FX01 I purchased a few weeks ago, my Garmin GPS, my Polar USB interface and just about anything else you’re likely to buy, they all contain a label something like the following, taped around the USB connector:

On MacOS X, just rip this label off, plug the device in, and start using it. Ditto for Windows...sort of. The reader did appear and work just fine on Windows XP without installing software, but apparently any manufacturer supplied software is best installed prior to connecting the unit. Why the onus is on the user to worry about such things is one of the crufty hallmarks of Microsoft Windows (along with fantastic support for viruses).