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Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

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Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#281

Post by MrFoof »

jader201 wrote: post #146
alerighi wrote: post #18

I stopped buying inkjet printers. They are a scam, the ink costs a fortune and they are built as cheap as they can, meaning that they will break and you have to throw them away because they are impossible to repair, they are slow and when you need them they don't work because they were not used for too much time. After having 5 broken printers in the garage I said enough, that is a useless waste, and invested some mo…

I got my first printer in high school, around 90-91. It was an HP laserjet printer, when they were first going mainstream. I loved it, it always printed well, and the toner seemed to last forever. Of course, it was B/W, but that was all I needed. Fast forward to today, I have never owned an inkjet printer. Over the past 30 years I’ve owned a total of 3 laser printers. The second was in 2005, because I wanted a scanne…

This. Bought an HP LaserJet in 1998. Only just replaced it this year with a newer one for more features and higher res.

Thought admittedly if I replaced or repaired the power module, it probably would’ve went another 20 years at least.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#282

Post by dylan604 »

dreamcompiler wrote: post #260
dylan604 wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your only color print needs are for photos, look into dye sub printers. You can go years in between printing, and use the same roll with no issues. These are pretty much what you get when you order from any brick&mortar store printing from digital files or any modern photobooth kiosk

Yes dye subs do a great job and they don't gunk up. But unfortunately as you said they are only for photos, they require special paper, and they only print in smaller sizes (i.e. you cannot use one to print a color page of a business report). Their supply costs are high too but that's not a big deal if you use them rarely.

Why did you feel the need to explain this when as you've said I've already stated for photos? Nobody made a reco to use for doing a report.

Not sure if you are aware, but you can get 8x10 prints from a dye sub. For the dye sub market, their prices have definitely gotten much cheaper relative to themselves. They are more expensive that shitting $99 ink jet, but that's the point of this thread.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#283

Post by sdflhasjd »

jonnycomputer wrote: post #130
amelius wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why I buy hardware that starts with "i" in its name. That way, I know that "I" am the owner and "I" am in complete control.

So this morning I noticed that the LEDs were on on the computer I built even after I shut it down. That's how it works by default, but I didn't like it, so changed the setting in the BIOS. I have to think that something reset back to the defaults, and I'm guessing Windows 10? I built it so I know it, but I guess I still don't own it. And don't get me started on how Windows 10 never goes to sleep like it should. Maybe…

I don't think I've seen Windows touch any BIOS settings with the exception of the boot order (which it only does during install).

It's more likely the CMOS battery is duff or some other issue

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#284

Post by cletus »

alerighi wrote: post #18

I stopped buying inkjet printers. They are a scam, the ink costs a fortune and they are built as cheap as they can, meaning that they will break and you have to throw them away because they are impossible to repair, they are slow and when you need them they don't work because they were not used for too much time. After having 5 broken printers in the garage I said enough, that is a useless waste, and invested some mo…

Since I've seen this many times before, I would be willing to pet you were buying "cheap" inkjet printers. By "cheap" I mean they take ink cartridges.

Never ever ever buy a cartridge inkjet printer.

instead buy a tank printer (eg Epson Eco-Tank). They are more expensive. You fill up the ink from a bottle.

Cartridge printers are sold at a loss and designed to make a profit from the cartridges. This is why printer manufacturers are constantly fighting third-party cartridges with unnecessary firmware "upgrades". Additionally, the printer will use some of that ink to clean the printer heads so the printer will run out of ink even if you don't print anything.

Also, retail printers are typically sold with less-than-full ink cartridges.

It's a good example of how consumers buy based on price rather than value. But don't confuse cartridge vs tank inkjet printers. They're completely different beasts.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#285

Post by sireat »

EvanAnderson wrote: post #154
jader201 wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got my first printer in high school, around 90-91. It was an HP laserjet printer, when they were first going mainstream. I loved it, it always printed well, and the toner seemed to last forever. Of course, it was B/W, but that was all I needed. Fast forward to today, I have never owned an inkjet printer. Over the past 30 years I’ve owned a total of 3 laser printers. The second was in 2005, because I wanted a scanne…

Fed a diet of the necessary consumables-- toners/drums, fusers, rollers, separation pads, etc-- a 1990s LaserJet will outlive us all. For me, "peak LaserJet" was probably the LaserJet 4 w/ an integral JetDirect. The 4000 that followed was pretty solid and faster but more plastic-ey than the 4.

I own a HP 4050N that I paid 5 euros at a bank bankrupcy in 2008.

Still have not changed the cartridge (apparently it is good for 10k pages).

I am starting to worry that all cartridge refill businesses will close before I need a refill..

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#286

Post by jasonwatkinspdx »

hyperbovine wrote: post #217
EvanAnderson wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fed a diet of the necessary consumables-- toners/drums, fusers, rollers, separation pads, etc-- a 1990s LaserJet will outlive us all. For me, "peak LaserJet" was probably the LaserJet 4 w/ an integral JetDirect. The 4000 that followed was pretty solid and faster but more plastic-ey than the 4.

Not surprising at all--HP in the early 1990s was still very much an engineering-focused company (both H and P were on the board until `93) that made high-quality, durable products. This was right before it got gobbled up by MBAs and celebrity CEOs, who spun it off into a hundred subunits hawking flimsy plastic trinkets and "business consulting".

What happened to HP is so sad. They made fantastic products, especially their high precision stuff. Those oscilloscopes still fetch a decent price on ebay because they're so dang good.

Up where I live there were a lot of HP employees in the LAN party scene pre broadband. Anyone would be frustrated and angry over layoffs, but what happened locally was a different level of disillusion and disappointment. It was brutal to just watch as someone adjacent, not going through it.

Fiorina got a lot of sexist nonsense thrown her direction, but at the end of the day, was still a terrible CEO. HP's capitalization grew by 3 billion dollars in a single day when it was announced she was on the way out. Markets certainly aren't oracles, but that's one hell of a shift.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#287

Post by blackearl »

neilv wrote: post #173

As many techies will probably always say anytime inkjet product shenanigans come up: just buy a laser printer. And I now add: and don't let it connect to the Internet, and don't install proprietary drivers or software for it on your computers. Also, remember the names of companies doing sketchy things, and do your part to provide negative feedback when you can, and to give positive feedback to better companies. (Exam…

The thing about laser is it's not a great answer for your typical boomer mom-level consumer. They're large and color laser MFPs are usually ~$500

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#288

Post by noasaservice »

sagarm wrote: post #252
tsimionescu wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about they make their money by selling a good printer? I don't have to buy has from my car company if I want a good car.

I'm using a 10 year old Brother with the starter toner. Still going strong, but I haven't given Brother a cent since I bought it for $100. Can they survive off that? Hopefully.

One purchase does not give a company the rights for all future purchases. If their business model assumes that, their business model is faulty.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#289

Post by noasaservice »

Jerry2 wrote: post #194

Last month, my friend's HP Laserjet Pro printer started flashing "SUPPLY PROBLEM" error message and wouldn't print anything. Apparently, all he did was update the firmware after a message popped up on the printer urging him to do so. Well, that firmware update included new DRM checks for non-HP toners. The printer would just refuse to work with 3rd party toner cartridges. I had to help him and had to find an old firm…

My big question here is:

Why aren't companies being found criminally negligent with the CFAA when they force poison-pill "upgrades" that remove stated features from the original device?

How is this functionally different than the crypt-ransomware we see in the news?

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#290

Post by heavyset_go »

matheusmoreira wrote: post #60
egberts1 wrote: post #47

Brothers LaserJet. No malware, no adware, no funky drivers; just colored, WiFi, LP-protocol, multi-tray PCL and PS support. Best thing since sliced bread.

> no funky drivers Even on Linux?

Pretty much every printer released since 2010 has IPP Everywhere support, which allows for driverless printing on any platform including Linux.
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