HP outrages printer owners after it blocks the use of cheap ink cartridges | Hacker News Reader

HP outrages printer owners after it blocks the use of cheap ink cartridges

smh.com.au

32 pointscolinprince11 comments

Much previous discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12524031

So 10's of thousands, maybe even 100's of thousands of people had working inks in their printers, then HP pushed their way into those printers and did something, and now those people don't have their ink anymore.

You might argue that HP was "allowed" into those printers by some EULA agreement so that makes it somehow better, but if the cable guy whom you allowed into your house tried to walk out with your TV you might call it stealing...

If they're seriously allowed to do this, how is that different from just ordering all of the printers to dump their inks into the spill tray whenever they need a revenue bump?

So "remember that time when HP hacked all those printers and stole everyones ink?" seems about right to me.

This is a stupid move, but I've pretty successfully gone without a printer at home for several years now. I've had to actually print something only once in the past few years. That was for work and work has printers so I don't need one at home.

Using printers has become so unpleasant that most people are just giving it up, or trying to.

(Warning: loud auto-playing video.)

While being a despicable business practice, if it contributes to people going paperless....

I just use Brother Laser printers -- Ink Jet is just a brutally bad way of printing. The multi-function printers are ultra reliable and cheap to operate.

Always read the fine print when you agree to automatic software updates, folks (and read the fine print on manual updates, too!)

Unfortunately, with the sheer number and pace of updates for the myriad of devices and apps we all have, combined with the Byzantine wall of legalese that most of those agreements are, that's practically impossible.

Not to mention, you shouldn't have to make a choice between accepting a security update or disabling features that you bought.

I think it's actually a consumer protection issue, especially where hardware is concerned.

Any update that fundamentally alters the way a device functions from the time of purchase should be disallowed.

But only on a handful of LaserJet (or OfficeJet?) Pro models.

I'm surprised people are reacting so badly: these are laser printers—toner cartridges (which for some reason the headline is calling "ink") are dirt cheap, completely unlike inkjet ink cartridges.

The article is definitely about ink not laser toner.

As to your assertion, cheap? Wait until the printer is a couple of years old or more. For my Laserjet:

Genuine HP toner from their UK store: £83 each colour, £49-£58 Amazon.co.uk

Lots of generics in the £15-£30 range on Amazon, and a couple of sets of 4 at £40.

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