> Most other manufacturers just slap their logo on top of cura or prusaslicer

Isn't PrusaSlicer just Slic3r?

https://help.prusa3d.com/article/general-info_1910

let's not exaggerate

so far as I can tell, all of their software remains freely licensed on github, but not 100% of their PCB designs

> You can also find a thriving ecosystem of low-cost derivatives like the Ender series. In many cases, if not most cases, these clones and derivatives contribute basically nothing back to the original project and, at the surface, appear to add dubious value to the ecosystem as a whole.

What an unnecessary jab at the Enders. This person needs a serious financial privilege check.

In the third world the only printers that are affordable are the clones and the Enders, the "good" stuff is usually marked to 2x the price on top of 2x import tariffs because Prusa and Bambu Labs don't have official channels here.

Why would they care about a lower regional pricing for third world countries when they are selling as fast as they can produce? Screw poor people.

How could someone reporting in the industry be so blind about this.

But can you actually buy a Voron? I mean fully functional and ready to use.

For what I understand, Voron only publishes blueprints, and the process of building a printer is quite involved. You can find part kits, which is a good thing considering that you need a good 3D printer (like a Voron) for the 3D printed parts, but assembly is on your own. It may be a bit much to ask for someone who wants a 3D printer more than a hobby, though I admit that these often go together.

With a Prusa, you have the option of buying one that works out of the box, but you can still tinker with it. Or you can get an Ender3 or one of its many offsprings for cheap, these are moddable, often built using standard parts and open source software, and mostly work out of the box. Not the best by far, but you will have a better idea of your upgrade path (Bambu, Prusa, Voron,...), if you want to upgrade.