Or just printer ink. Paperless or plastic-less?
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071218-hp-and-staples-accused-of-colluding-on-printer-ink-prices.html
$8,000 a gallon, must be a luxurious item
Comments ... #
HP and other printer companys will have to tread carefully or they will run afoul of the tying law, if they havn't already. This smacks of IBM tying the purchase of their earliest computers to the requirement of exclusive purchase of IBM's punch cards for use in those machines. "Tying" is a violation of Federal Law.
I heard HP also puts an expireation date in that chip so their cartriges wont work after so long,, keeping us from refilling or stocking up.
Regarding swantucky's comment...
Yup... it's true. I needed to use my printer to print documents in black/white BUT had to go purchase a new COLOR cartridge in order to do so. The color cartridge was not empty but expired. Apparently the non-expired black ink can't function on it's own. :P
Planned obsolesscence and engineered dysfunction is a myth. Forward thinking corporate bean counters care about you and providing the best value for your dollar. It just requires class action lawsuits for market corrections.
Better yet are the cases printer makers have put up against anyone making or modifying certain cartridges for certain printers... seems that certain printers/cartridges have "DRM" chips on them and that any (re)manufacturer who gets around the "copy protection"/"encryption" is suddenly guilty of violating the DMCA (DAMN YOU CLINTON).
... and so legally they're not "tying" authentic $BRAND cartridges to $BRAND printers, because generics are perfectly acceptable to use, PROVIDED that someone can create generics without violating the DMCA.
posted by anonymouscoward on Dec 23, 2007 at 02:09:12 am #
I would refuse to buy a printer that would not allow 'alternate' cartridges, and also would email/mail that company that I chose to purchase a competitors product due to this.
If enough people 'boycotted' the company(s), I would think they'd listen.
posted by GraphicsGuy on Dec 18, 2007 at 05:59:53 pm #