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Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

jeffgeerling.com

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Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#241

Post by dns_snek »

dperfect wrote: post #201
dns_snek wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They aren't doing anything to block OrcaSlicer or any fork from working with the printer using LAN-only mode. They did. Since the first update in early 2025 LAN-only mode isn't enough to use 3rd party software anymore. Eventually they (partially) caved to the extensive backlash and added "developer mode" which completely exposes your printer by removing existing access controls , coercing users into either giving u…

It sounds like they're doing what people want. People seem to be ascribing a lot of mal-intent to actions that don't seem malicious to me. > completely exposes your printer by removing existing access controls If these printers are in LAN-only mode and you want to point 3rd-party software at them, don't you kind of expect the existing access controls (which are probably at least in part tied to cloud services) to be…

> don't you kind of expect the existing access controls (which are probably at least in part tied to cloud services) to be removed

No, and it's absurd that you would suggest that on a technical forum in 2026, and no, they're not tied to cloud services in any way. Do you also grant root access to anyone on your LAN, by default and without credentials?

> If you want a completely open (hardware and software) 3D printer, don't get a Bambu Lab machine I guess? [and the rest]

My mistake, I didn't realize you were just here to engage in bad faith bullshit and peddle the company's PR statements from last year. These changes are happening after we already bought our printers.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#242

Post by luma »

arjie wrote: post #65
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 have a P1S. Putting it together and running it was about IKEA level of difficulty. Very easy. If money weren’t a problem, which Prusa printer comes closest (assuming we’d want something like the Bambu AMS2)?

Core1, add an INDX if you want multi tool (far more flexible and less waste than the AMS).

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#243

Post by Mogzol »

jwr wrote: post #133
syntaxing wrote: post #54

Funny how fast people forget. LAN mode was NOT part of their original plan until outrage like this happened last time. They shifted their course and changed their blog post after. Putting pressure as a customer is how you steer company’s direction.

Also, LAN mode is NOT a substitute for the functionality you bought the printer with. My biggest annoyance is that I can no longer use OrcaSlicer to interact with my printers (e.g. sync filaments) and start prints remotely. I am still very annoyed at Bambu Labs for this stupid move, as it directly impacts my usage. What most people seem to be missing in these discussions is that some of us have printers in remote wor…

I have no issues with OrcaSlicer and interacting with my printers or starting prints remotely as long as I have LAN and Developer mode turned on. The only catch is that you need something like Tailscale set up for remote printers so you can access them over your "local" network. You can also get remote management/monitoring on your phone with apps like Openbu or Lanbu.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#244

Post by kube-system »

abigail95 wrote: post #215
joshuaissac wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

You must put authorization on your server if you don't want others connecting to it. While the right of access is not granted by AGPL - it is not reasonable to run a public service with an AGPL client and say you shouldn't be connecting to it. They are doing a lot of work to create implied consent under CFAA. If you want to control access you must do something to control access - it must reach a threshold, it cannot…

> You must put authorization on your server if you don't want others connecting to it.

Unfortunately, the CFAA doesn't necessarily require that authorization is implemented through technical means, and it definitely doesn't require any authorization to be technically robust.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#245

Post by liampulles »

Topfi wrote: post #60

A User Agent not being suitable for any kind of authorisation aside, given this was published under AGPL, is any kind of legal action even possible? Or is this like DMCA abuse, technically not grounded in any legal basis (and in the case of knowingly filing an improper DMCA claim, clearly illegal but never prosecuted) and solely a scare/might makes right tactic?

Another way to read it is that they are shifting blame away from their backend - which is so shitty that it experiences notable service disruptions when some of their existing users send unexpected headers - onto the client software.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#246

Post by ibaikov »

9cb14c1ec0 wrote: post #141

This sentence in Bambu Lab's blog post is wild: > We have documented incidents of service outages caused precisely by spikes in unauthorized traffic - overwhelming the servers, causing service disruptions affecting everyone. The cost was instability felt by all users. So it's a problem that their printers are popular, and they can't be bothered to scale their infra, so let's gate everything based on USER AGENT STRING…

So technically they just said that their printers would be less popular if Orcaslicer ceased to exist.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#247

Post by Petersipoi »

I don't care if my 3d printer is "open" any more than I care if my refrigerator is "open". I get that for a lot of you it's a hobby that you want a dedicate a lot of time to, upgrading, hacking, etc.. which is great. But for me, I just want something that prints when I need it to print. The fewer minutes per month that I have to spend thinking about or interacting with my 3d printer, while still getting great prints, the better. And that is what Bambu has nailed better than anyone else, as far as I'm aware.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#249

Post by Kirby64 »

fgfarben wrote: post #231
Kirby64 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3D printers aren't the fire hazards of yore. They're quite reliable, fused, with multiple interlocks for various conditions (mainly around heating not matching expected rate) that will kill power. The main potential problem these days (in my view) is whether a print finishes without crashing or delaminating from the print plate, which also has workarounds... but that's only potential printer damage, not a fire.

Straight propaganda. Printers have burned down apartments in the last five years. https://www.reddit.com/r/anycubic/comments/1j4kfsr/guys_just...

Anycubic is a poor quality brand that doesn't really go through the engineering effort to design good quality stuff. These types of printers definitely still exist, no doubt.

But, it's not really straight propaganda that the well designed machines (Bambu, Prusa, and many other vendors) don't have these issues.

You can find equally alarming statements about all sorts of other poor quality goods.

Re: Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract

#250

Post by kube-system »

5701652400 wrote: post #140

is there case for Bambulabs breaching Direct Export Controls of dual-use technology to China? 3d printing tech is obviously dual-use. they are forcing network now, and they clearly have servers in China. same for breach National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

> 3d printing tech is obviously dual-use.

Is it though?

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