Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

jeffgeerling.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

191–200 of 452 posts

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#191

Post by greenleafone7 »

awakeasleep wrote: post #66
kn100 wrote: post #30

Full disclosure: I've never owned a Bambu because I've never loved the idea of a "closed" ecosystem 3D printer, however I have used them, and am very familiar with the 3d printing space beyond Bambu. For anyone considering alternatives: You should know that almost all other 3D printers expect you to know a little more about how they actually work than Bambus. Bambus are as close as you can get to a "just works" type…

Prusa is still the most 'open source-ish' choice, but they're no longer a polar opposite to Bambu, in 2023 they started making efforts to stop commercialization of their designs, stopped sharing source/design material for their PCBs, etc. Then in 2025 they changed their 'open community license' to say users may not: “Sell complete machines or remixes based on these files, unless you have a separate agreement…” and “T…

So you want European companies to keep being nice and "open", do all the research and invent new technologies and products for the chinese to copy and sell cheap clones of!

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#192

Post by morphle »

yard2010 wrote: post #121
morphle wrote: post #71

I am an outsider on the details of the Bambu software requiring users to go through their servers in China and the closing of their software. Still I suspect it is about spying in wartime, Bambu printers are at the core of the Ukrainian war effort, the main reason even Ukraine is winning since januari 2026. First China prevented Ukraine from using any of the drones that they sold in millions to Russia while exercisin…

Please provide sources to your claims.

Kill switch in DJI drones and other brands: https://npo.nl/start/serie/konvooi/afleveringen/seizoen-1

Documentairy in Dutch but the interview is in English

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#193

Post by cherioo »

bityard wrote: post #163

I'm an open-source advocate (some would say zealot?) but I ended up buying a Bambu P1S a few months back because my research indicated that there were ways use it normally without creating a Bambu account, or using their slicer, or having to send all of your prints through their servers. I don't have my notes in front of me, but I managed to do all of that with hardly any trouble at all. IIRC, you only had to change…

Before: user can print via cloud or locally with custom slicer at the same time easier.

Some time in 2025: firmware updates make user choose between cloud XOR locally. Enabling local mode allows using custom slicer, but disables cloud printing or monitoring. Folks were up in arms because they wanted both, and openness.

Latest fork: a specific new custom slicer impersonates UA to submit print via bambu cloud, so it gives the pre-2025 experience.

Bambu sues this new fork. Actual OrcaSlicer working locally is fine.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#194

Post by abigail95 »

jrmg wrote: post #159
Topfi wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any instance anywhere that a court has considered an UA sufficient for access control? Especially one published under a copyleft license?

Techies like us get caught up in mechanism all the time in discussions like this. But, though there are some explicit laws where that’s how it works, that’s not generally how the legal system works. If I have a private server, and I don’t give you permission to access it - or, even better, tell you not to, it doesn’t really matter how I secure it. If you access it, you’re in the wrong. To give a physical analogy, it…

With no authentication it's a "gates down" scenario and it's assumed that if you put your server on the open internet you intend people to connect to it.

With authentication it's "gates up" and then "without authorization" from CFAA kicks in. I think it's unlikely that a user agent string creates a "gates up" situation, especially not if it's from code granted under a permissive license.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#195

Post by pimterry »

dwroberts wrote: post #180
bityard wrote: post #163

I'm an open-source advocate (some would say zealot?) but I ended up buying a Bambu P1S a few months back because my research indicated that there were ways use it normally without creating a Bambu account, or using their slicer, or having to send all of your prints through their servers. I don't have my notes in front of me, but I managed to do all of that with hardly any trouble at all. IIRC, you only had to change…

> IIRC, you only had to change one setting on the printer itself, and optionally block the printer from Internet access via the firewall to prevent automatic firmware updates and telemetry Why do you have to do that on a product you own that is running in your home?

Because (like every IoT product) Bambu want to sell a product with an easy app-powered workflow, and LAN device discovery and remote-access for home devices from mobile apps is flaky and terrible.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're slurping telemetry en route, and it's convenient for them that using their app helps nudge you towards Makerworld (their ecosystem for 3d prints, which is presumably good marketing) but I very strongly suspect "make it effortless for non-technical users to use the device with just a phone" was the original & primary driver.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#196

Post by morphle »

parineum wrote: post #151
morphle wrote: post #71

I am an outsider on the details of the Bambu software requiring users to go through their servers in China and the closing of their software. Still I suspect it is about spying in wartime, Bambu printers are at the core of the Ukrainian war effort, the main reason even Ukraine is winning since januari 2026. First China prevented Ukraine from using any of the drones that they sold in millions to Russia while exercisin…

> This firmware replacement will cost a couple of months to write so we all should send that programmer a little money so he/she can release it for free. > A free Bambu firmware will allow the Ukranians to continue producing another few million drones and save over a hundred thousands lives by ending the war. If that were true, it seems to me, that Ukraine would have already done it if it was somehow standing in thei…

I have informed a few 3D printer operators on how to do it themselves. But it is hard for these soldiers, they have other priorities.

It is not 'standing in their way', it is revealing the secret locations where the Ukranians drones are manufactured. Several of these factories where discovered and Russia bombed them.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#197

Post by Ajedi32 »

joshuaissac wrote: post #174
Ajedi32 wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're essentially saying "yes, the code is open source, but you're not allowed to modify it or we'll ban you and threaten you with legal action", which is completely antithetical to the whole idea behind open source (especially the GPL which literally says in the license text itself that it was created to protect your right to run modified software). "Violation of the open source social contract" is a good way to d…

You can run modified software per the GPL but that does not include the right to connect to Bambu's servers with your modified software. That is entirely reasonable (especially since this is not some social/messaging application). If I release a client as open source, that doesn't mean it's OK for modified clients to connect to my server. I expect you to use it offline or set up your own server to connect to. I don't…

Again, legally that's correct. But it goes completely against the spirit of open source and especially the GPL which says in the license itself that "our General Public Licenses are intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change all versions of a program". If you can't run a modified version of a program without getting sued, you practically speaking do not have the freedom to modify it.

Elsewhere, the GNU explains why this is important[1]:

> With proprietary software, the program controls the users, and some other entity (the developer or “owner”) controls the program. So the proprietary program gives its developer power over its users. That is unjust in itself; moreover, it tempts the developer to mistreat the users in other ways.

> [...]

> Freedom means having control over your own life. If you use a program to carry out activities in your life, your freedom depends on your having control over the program. You deserve to have control over the programs you use, and all the more so when you use them for something important in your life.

Telling your users they can't run modified versions of your open source client goes against this principle.

Again, I'm not necessarily saying Bambu isn't within their legal rights to do this, I'm just saying it's a jerk move.

[1]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-impor...

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#198

Post by mordae »

greenleafone7 wrote: post #191
awakeasleep wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prusa is still the most 'open source-ish' choice, but they're no longer a polar opposite to Bambu, in 2023 they started making efforts to stop commercialization of their designs, stopped sharing source/design material for their PCBs, etc. Then in 2025 they changed their 'open community license' to say users may not: “Sell complete machines or remixes based on these files, unless you have a separate agreement…” and “T…

So you want European companies to keep being nice and "open", do all the research and invent new technologies and products for the chinese to copy and sell cheap clones of!

They could have simply asked EU to introduce protective tariffs. I don't think they even tried, though.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#199

Post by ge96 »

kn100 wrote: post #30

Full disclosure: I've never owned a Bambu because I've never loved the idea of a "closed" ecosystem 3D printer, however I have used them, and am very familiar with the 3d printing space beyond Bambu. For anyone considering alternatives: You should know that almost all other 3D printers expect you to know a little more about how they actually work than Bambus. Bambus are as close as you can get to a "just works" type…

I'm still rocking my Ender 3 Pro, I printed a part 13 hrs straight and it came out fine

not saying it can't be better eg. faster, multi-color/material but yeah works for me right now with Cura

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#200

Post by dangus »

cherioo wrote: post #193
bityard wrote: post #163

I'm an open-source advocate (some would say zealot?) but I ended up buying a Bambu P1S a few months back because my research indicated that there were ways use it normally without creating a Bambu account, or using their slicer, or having to send all of your prints through their servers. I don't have my notes in front of me, but I managed to do all of that with hardly any trouble at all. IIRC, you only had to change…

Before: user can print via cloud or locally with custom slicer at the same time easier. Some time in 2025: firmware updates make user choose between cloud XOR locally. Enabling local mode allows using custom slicer, but disables cloud printing or monitoring. Folks were up in arms because they wanted both, and openness. Latest fork: a specific new custom slicer impersonates UA to submit print via bambu cloud, so it gi…

Bambu didn’t sue, they sent a cease and desist letter. Just to be pedantic.

I don’t know what the fuss is about. This whole issue has nothing to do with the open source ecosystem.

It has everything to do with the part where Bambu does not authorize 3rd party programs to contact their cloud servers.

I totally agree that Bambu has their head up their ass here, but still, it’s not an issue that would make me want to choose another inferior or more difficult to use printer at this time.

I own a Bambu printer precisely because it’s the iPhone of printers. It’s a tradeoff.

If it ever enshittifies to the point of becoming a paperweight I’m personally not that worried about it. I paid under $300 multiple years ago for this printer. I know that’s not nothing and I don’t want to be wasteful but it’s not something I’ll be particularly upset about. It’ll be Bambu’s loss when I don’t buy their next products or when I stop buying their replacement parts and filament.

Post reply on HN