Dell Takes the Low Road Regarding Ink Cartridges 430
Anonymous Coward writes "Dell released a line of printers today, manufactured by Lexmark. As covered by by Yahoo they '..contain a chip that disables the cartridge if it is refilled and replaced in a Dell printer..' and 'The cartridges are different sizes than cartridges from other printer vendors, including Lexmark, the spokesperson said. This will limit the amount of knockoff cartridges available, but only until someone figures out how to reverse engineer Dell's cartridges.'" In the interest of full disclosure, note that the poster sells knockoff carts.
Funny (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Funny (Score:4, Funny)
Welcome to the USA.
Re:Funny (Score:3, Insightful)
Not suprising.... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Not suprising.... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Not suprising.... (Score:3, Interesting)
The Low Road? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The Low Road? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The Low Road? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The Low Road? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The Low Road? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:The Low Road? (Score:3, Interesting)
After dicking aroung with cheap fax machines and flaky fax servers for too long, I bought a Canon laser fax/printer/scanner/copier. Should have done it years ago.
I'm a big fan of Canon Printers (Score:3, Insightful)
So I bought a Lexmark Z51 - it did decent printouts and it still works. But the ink is quite expensive.
But Canon - I got an s800, and it prints out beautiful pictures. Then it stopped working after only a year! Damn. But it turned
The Epson name (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The Low Road? (Score:3, Insightful)
Funny, neither of my Epson printers has an integrated print head. Yes, the really, really cheap ones do, but don't over-generalize.
Re:The Low Road? (Score:2, Interesting)
That's like buying a toaster and later finding out only Black and Decker bread fits in it, which is $10 a loaf. Or like buying a KIA car, then finding out oil it uses costs $20 a litre.
Hmm...this kinda sounds like some software company that everyone complains
Re:The Low Road? (Score:2)
Isn't this kinda like what the phone companies in the early days got slapped down for? Didn't the phone company used to make you use their phone in order to use their phone service?
Re:The Low Road? (Score:4, Interesting)
Actually, AT&T owned the entire phone system, including the phone wire in your house! They only made you use their phone instruments because, legally, they were theirs. In the MCI vs. Ma Bell case, they got clobbered over long distance service competition. No longer [owning/being responsible for] the phones and the house wiring was something the Regional Bell Operating Companies that were spun off from AT&T wanted.
Re:The Low Road? (Score:4, Insightful)
The DMCA is being used to restrict product usage and as a barrier to entry of competitors. You are so ready to assert that Dell has the right to make their money back. Guess what? No one said they couldn't. What you miss is that they are preventing others from making money too. What about them? Oh, you forgot. Golly gee. You are quick to point out that Dell sells printers at closet to cost. Know what? So what! That's THEIR decision to. I don't have a problem with them deciding on their prices. No one said they couldn't.
Hell, if they want to epoxy their ink cartridges to their printers I don't care. I care when there is a law that says I can't take a Dremel to the epoxy and get more use out of it (which, thankfully the DMCA doesn't not cover).
Don't cry to the customers or voters if their loss leader costs the company. Consumers are not there to bail you out of your sorry ass decisions. I would gladly purchase a printer for $500 if I had a choice of reasonably priced brand name as well as alternative ink sources--oh, wait, I did--it's called a laser printer. Yeah, I bypassed the problem that is inkjets.
Dell leveraging stupid, overly broad laws (it's a DMCA violation, as Lexmark has already tested in court, and there is at least another case law example you can use re the DMCA and this sort of technology involving, of all things, garage doors) and changing the business fight (in this case, based on evolving technologies) to a legal one. If you honestly believe Dell has the right to be in the marketplace, drop all the other crap and make it a business slugfest.
Oh, btw, I do say the same thing of MS and the Xbox. MS knew full well that crypto'ing their code they were not only getting protection by crypto but also legal protection via the DMCA protection. (Note that I did not say copyright protection, because the key provents flat out code usage, including user rolled applications--so much for a company that "innovates" and puts out DRM crap->they can't even tell the difference between pirated copies and apache). MS bleeds on Xbox, and I'm glad they do. I don't buy from Xbox, and now I won't be buying from Dell (I used to buy about $2,000 of equipment through their accessory store).
Gas would cost more on the Low Road (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Gas would cost more on the Low Road (Score:5, Insightful)
A car company, however, can't require you to use only their parts. This has nothing to do with antitrust laws, however, and the laws that prevent such activity only apply to automobiles. Sorry, thanks for playing.
Simply put, what they're doing is legal. Unethical, yes, immoral, probably, consumer-unfriendly, sure, but legal nonetheless. They have a right to do this, just like you have the right to tell them where to shove their products.
That having been said, it wouldn't hurt to do a nationwide advertising campaign that explains to people why they should look for third-party ink refills before choosing a printer---educate the masses. When they see their business drying up, they will reconsider this stupidity....
Re:The Low Road? (Score:4, Interesting)
A comparable situation is the contract requirements with mobile phones. They rig them in a way that makes them back the subsidy they've given you on the phone, BUT they don't tie you there after they've made their money back.
Possible technical approaches to making the money back without permanently locking in the consumer include:
1-- storing the cartridge chip ID; after some number of different official cartridges are recorded, unlock the printer.
2-- sell only a package of the printer and cartridges at a price that covers costs; additional cartridges are reasonably priced or clonable.
3-- sell the printer at its true cost.
Re:The Low Road? Let's be realistic. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The Low Road? Let's be realistic. (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyways the analogy is irrelevant, anybody can make gas and anybody can make printer cartriges.
Anybody who buys a printer with proprie
Next... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Next... (Score:2)
Dells line is too much for an ink jet (Score:5, Interesting)
After switching to laser I will never go back. I do not need color for most documents and the quality and reliablity are so much better. My epson inkjet blows goatballs and always jams.
Re:Dells line is too much for an ink jet (Score:2)
Got to agree with you on the Laser printer though, they are just so much better and very cheap laser printers are actually quite good quality and speed (eg 12ppm).
Re:Dells line is too much for an ink jet (Score:2)
Re:Dells line is too much for an ink jet (Score:2)
Yeah, it'll be a LONG time before that happens. I saw people everyday at my old job bitching and moaning because of the ink prices, and our store had them intentionally inflated MORE to generate extra revenue, but they still bought the shit. I still had to restock that shelf every night for all the ink that was sold. Their business model, as illogical as
Re:Dells line is too much for an ink jet (Score:3, Informative)
Can I just say ... (Score:2)
Dirty smelly nasty printersesses
Re:Can I just say ... (Score:2)
I HATE PRINTERS - the worst part of computers. I had been printer free for years then my wife decided she needed to print some things - just waiting for the ink cart to die.
Re:Can I just say ... (Score:2)
My Canon BJC-610 at home is another story, though. It hasn't printed anything since early 2002
Reverse enginering the cartridges.. (Score:2)
would be in direct violation of the DMCA.
Unless you are basing your operation in a more civiliezed part of the world, that is.
That's sensational...ism! (Score:5, Insightful)
Dell has released an extremely cheap printer. This extremely cheap printer uses ink cartridges which create a revenue stream for Dell, but also wear out and stop functioning to spec after a certain amount of time.
Some third party is upset that they cannot refill those cartridges, even though they were not designed to be refilled, and are at the end of their lives.
Consumers have a multitude of options regarding printing technology, at widely varying costs per page. Dell's decision has not eliminated any of the other suppliers or technologies.
In short, unless you manufacture inkjet refill kits, don't worry about this, it doesn't matter and it would change your life in the least.
Re:That's sensational...ism! (Score:5, Insightful)
Some third party is upset that they cannot refill those cartridges, even though they were not designed to be refilled, and are at the end of their lives.
They're more pissed that they are being prevented from refilling the cartridges by technology put there for the purpose, and that they are unable to manufacture knockoffs due to the DMCA.
In short, unless you manufacture inkjet refill kits, don't worry about this, it doesn't matter and it would change your life in the least.
Unless you happen to like the idea of competition, that is. Allow this, and you will see more and more things that you buy come with strings attached regarding usage, and those strings will be backed up by legal force.
Re:That's sensational...ism! (Score:2)
Re:That's sensational...ism! (Score:3, Interesting)
How do copyrights restrict the manufacturing of printer cartridges?
Simple: incorporate a chip in the ink cartridge that interacts with the printer. This chip is required for the cartridge to be recognized, but it uses some form of encryption, so duplicating it may violate the DMCA. HP has already used these tactics to limit or prevent sale of third party cartridges.
no change in life? I beg your pardon (Score:5, Insightful)
So, what do you think happens to the old printer? it gets tossed; and then it gets dumped in a landfill or china - neither is a very good option.
I don't see how does that *not* impact my life.
Besides, environmental issues aside, while cheap, printers DO COST MONEY TO MAKE, and throwing them away because the manufactures decides on a fucked-up business model only drives up the cost eventually.
I really don't like this model the inkjet people has taken on. I mean, I understand it with games consoles, but the analogy don't really compare. It's like if Xbox costed less than your typical came and always came with coupon for a free game of your choosing - or a car that's so cheap you will buy it for the tank of gas that the dealer gives you. It's not a good business model anywhere else, why would the printer people get all drunk over it?
Re:no change in life? I beg your pardon (Score:2)
Re:no change in life? I beg your pardon (Score:2)
This is also a good argument against refilled/remanufactured carts. Now, I'm not saying printer ink prices are reasonable or anything.. But laser is actually cheaper than i
Re:That's sensational...ism! (Score:2)
Please Remember (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Please Remember (Score:2)
Toner cartridges are patriotic.
Re:Please Remember (Score:3, Funny)
I wish the market would work here, but sadly... (Score:4, Interesting)
As long as most people blindly accept the pap they get from Dell, they will buy printers like this one as well. The end result? Dell sells printers and ties them to the cartidges. They're just looking to capitalize on their place in the market . . . appealing to the ignorant buyers in households who know no better options.
Real markets depend upon easy access of producers and consumers, and an informed consumer on the products of the market. In this case, we have neither; ergo, we have no market. We have another Windoze in the making.
It's situations like this one that make me doubt the "free market."
Transparency! (Score:2, Insightful)
"The market" can work things out if the consumers have the information. You can imagine a series of printers that cost more but take "commodity" ink being popular with som
Dot matrix (Score:3, Interesting)
The only printer I have working now is the old receipt thermal printer from my former cash register [27.org]. It's blazingingly fast, but only does 60 columns. And it's really small text. Great for grocery lists, for code not so much. And I only have two rolls of the free Service Merchandise paper left.
Anyway, there's my random thought for the day. Thought I'd share. I think now I'll head over to ebay.
-B
Fair enough, I guess. (Score:2, Interesting)
As long as the customer is made aware of the artificially engineered restrictions, then I figure it's cool. Customers who don't want to accept those restrictions don't have to buy the product. It's not like DeLL has a monopoly on printers.
So? (Score:2)
Then they could make the money on the printer, rather then these high priced cartridges.
That being said, my experience is that the third party refills or cartridges suck and you're better off with the OEM ink.
Re:So? (Score:2)
Their printers are kinna pricy, but the ink is dirt cheap ($15/cart as opposed to HP's $70/cart (!!!!) )
Re:So? (Score:2)
Not a big deal... (Score:2)
So, why is anyone c
The low road has yet to come (Score:2)
Designing in explicit incompatibilities and obsolesense is very annoying and a greedy ripoff, but there is nothing leagally wrong with it (except in the EU), as long as reverse engineering is permitted. However as soon as something like the DMCA is invoked by Dell (which Lexmark has already done [slashdot.org]), then the real low road will have been discovered.
Imagine what might happen in the future, say with some new kind of organic ink. Well if that ink contains some sort of DNA strand, and you got that patented, a
Don't buy Dell Printers (Score:5, Insightful)
It's as easy as that. I usually "buy" (i.e.price) the cartridges first.
Re:Don't buy Dell Printers (Score:3, Insightful)
I wish someone would read slashdot, and get story ideas for a computer magazine. Really, this is what people want to know.
Canon Printers (Score:2)
Re:Canon Printers (Score:2)
Re:Canon Printers (Score:2)
Re:Canon Printers (Score:2)
I don't use Linux at home, so I don't know how it works under that OS. Under XP it's a dream.
5000 dollar bullets (Score:2)
a thought... (Score:5, Insightful)
"Chipped" Ink Carts (Score:5, Informative)
Unfortunately, the chipped Epson cartridges poses a problem. Not only will the chips tell the printer when the cartridges run out of ink, it will also disable the printer until it is replaced. Moreover, the chips don't even check the level of ink remaining. Instead, it counts the number and size of pages printed, and guesses when the ink is gone. With a continuous inking system and it's near-infinite capacity, this is not ideal.
As a result, several groups have developed workarounds. Some have made write-protected chips that are "reset" when the printer is turned off. Others have made devices to alter the ink-level information stored on the chip. And last I heard, there was work being done on a software workaround. Certainly, there are bypasses, and they have already been used for other printer manufacturers.
If anyone is interested in printer-mods, check out CIS [nomorecarts.com] and Chip Resetter [epsonchipresetter.com].
If these workarounds were not available, I would certainly have no bought an Epson printer. But at the same time, I can understand the manufacturers' position on third-party carts. Ink cartridges, not printers, are where the money's made!
Re:"Chipped" Ink Carts (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:"Chipped" Ink Carts (Score:4, Interesting)
Generally when they started printing poorly, the only thing wrong was that either the printhead or the print path was dirty. Nothing a good cleaning couldn't fix. I soon learned to swish the printhead in alcohol whenever I refilled the cart, to keep it pristine, and sometimes I'd run a little alcohol thru it prior to refilling.
As to whether some are now *designed* to "wear out", that's another question.
Diffrent business models are scary... (Score:3, Insightful)
It is the exact same way with cellphones, look at the cost of a unlocked (gsm) cellphone compared to the cost of getting the same phone under contract with a cellphone provider that locks you into the use of that one provider. Granted, some people do go for the unlocked phones, but the vast majority are fine with a locked phone from the provider because it is the same phone but much cheaper. Same with DirecTV who eat a loss of somewhere around $200 for each reciever they sell. Oh, and it only works with DirecTV.
If there was a market for printers that used some sort of universal cartrage, someone would make it thanks to capitalism. If you want something close get a laser, there is much less focus on consumables in that market, but of course you are going to pay a much higher upfront cost. (I have a laser and personally I wouldn't use anything else)
If you don't like it don't buy an ink jet printer, and/or make the market known for a inkjet printer that is not subsidised and uses an open design for cartriges, but frankly gripping at length at how Dell is trying to screw the consumer with a perfectly legitiment business model (And one that most consumers like) is not productive and gets quite tiresome.
Distorting customer perception... (Score:3, Insightful)
Personally, I would consider "ink" as a commodity product. Just like I expect my car to run on gas from any petrol station (assuming right octane at least
I don't have a problem with the business model though as long as it is clearly labeled. "Can only be used with [brand] ink cartridges. Third-party cartridges or ink refill is not possible. Attempts to circumvent this is illegal under the DMCA and punishable by [whatever it is]." in red. That should kill sales pretty quick...
Kjella
This isn't anything new for Dell (Score:2)
This isn't anything new for Dell. They have played this game before. Anyone remember their standard yet non-standard "ATX" power supplies [google.com]?
Out of fairness, newer Macintoshes also have standard yet non-standard power supplies. And back in the days of 286's, lots of manufactuers had their own connectors for everything from keyboards to memory.
Epson already does this (Score:2)
The only problem I have is that when the 5 color ink cartridge is "out" is still seems to have alot of ink left.
My next printer will have induhvidual (sic) ink cartridges.
ink prices (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:ink prices (Score:3, Informative)
They give the printer away at cost (or less). They then jack you with the cartridges. Even the refillable ones leak, and generic cartridges all suck anyway. The solution? Buy an Apollo printer (HP 648 with a different chassis and different name) for $35. When the ink runs out, throw the whole thing away and buy a new printer.
Dell's never seen the High Road (Score:2, Informative)
In other words, DON'T BUY THESE PRINTERS (Score:3, Interesting)
Here is a little bit of printer tivia for you. The printer division of HP makes derives 75% of its profits from the sale of ink and toner cartridges. Remember that the next time some company tries to lock you in to buying cartridges from them.
Lee
What I like about Epson inkjets (Score:2)
Now, I can't believe they're making money on me, since the printers sell for cost
Cheap printers ain't cheap (Score:2)
That's why it's always smart to look at total cost of ownership for a printer.
Let me give you an example. I bought my HP laserjet some 6 years ago. It wasn't cheap. But it's printed a boatload of pages, and have yet to replace the toner cart.
My Ex's sister bought a cheap little HP inkjet. But she prints so little that she has yet to replace her ink cart.
My girlfriend's brother-in-law bought a che
Printer vendors *could* add real value this way... (Score:3, Insightful)
People actually should be careful about third-party cartridges and refill kits; some of these are very bad, and if you're not careful with refill kits you can cause problems either by introducing air bubbles or debris. Some printers (Canon and HP that I know of) include the print head with the cartridge, and the head isn't designed for a very long life; the quality will probably degrade after a few refills. Epson printers use a long-life head technology, but the flip side is that if you damage the heads, you're either looking at an expensive repair or a new printer. Refill kits are also messy. However, that really should be for the user to decide.
Announcing that fact could be a consummer right.. (Score:2)
In the interest of full disclosure... (Score:2)
Dell will fail (Score:2, Insightful)
Where are you gonna get ink?
Why buy from Dell when it's just a remarked Lexmark? Just buy the Lexmark, the ink/toner will be much more widely available, and probably less expensive.
hp stinks, hp rocks, hp stinks, hp rocks, etc... (Score:4, Funny)
HP is cool! I said.
I buy a deskjet. 842c! I run out of ink in a week with my wimpy half cartridge that came with it.
HP stinks.
I refill all my colors and black appropriately (therfore spending as much as the printer cost) and I buy some nice HP photo paper, and the prints are brilliant!
HP rocks!
I find out you can't refill the latest ink cartridges.
HP stinks.
I find out I have an old printer and I can refill my cartridges!
HP rocks!
FUD: Post is Misleading and Incorrect (Score:4, Insightful)
It took me a while... (Score:3, Informative)
I was using an Epson Photo Stylus 700 (or something like that), which could print amazing near-photo quality color prints on special paper. The black and white output was rather nice, too, on heavy paper (24# white, not the cheaper copier paper). But it was costing me a lot just to print - between the paper costs, and the ink (and because I hardly used it, it tended to dry out quickly) - it just wasn't worth it. As far as the photo printing was concerned - the number of times I truely used it: 0 (!!!). Not too long ago, it stopped printing - even when I put in a new cartridge. The last time it did this, I had to send it in for cleaning (thankfully it was still under warantee), and wait 3 weeks (actually, the time spent was pretty short, all considering). I made up my mind then I was going to get a nice laser printer, come hell or high water.
A little looking around, and I found that a used HP Laserjet 3 with a relatively low page count was going to cost me around $150.00 - if I was lucky I would get a toner cartridge, too. But I thought it would be worth it...
I ended up looking around town a bit, and happened upon a Laserjet 6p at a local used-computer store I frequent. I asked them how much - they said $100.00 (!!) - I hemmed and hawwed a little bit, and asked if they could power it up (I didn't want a lemon). They told me "No problem", pulled the toner cart out of their store printer (same model!), fired it up and did a self test - out came a beautiful black and white image! I asked about return/warantee - they said they would give me a week for in-store credit (in case the interface was FUBAR'ed). I couldn't pass it up, so I bought it, and took it home.
That week, I contacted a local printer cartrige/ribbon shop (any ribbon for any printer - literally!), and told them my situation: I didn't want to pay for a full cartridge, in case the printer didn't work (the cartrige was $70.00 for trade, $95.00 for new) - they accommodated me by letting me put down a deposit of $10.00 on a used returned cartridge, to try the printer out with. I took it home, popped it in, loaded paper, installed the drivers - and...Success!!! The printer worked beautifully - since it was for my wife, I stuck it on her machine (a 'doze box) - but eventually I am going to get a network printer buffer and hook it up to that, so I can print to it from my SuSE box.
I took the cartridge back, and even though I knew I could get refilled cartridges cheap online - I asked them about buying one of theirs - they told me that since they had a ton of returns for refills, and didn't need any more, that they would give me a trade in one for the $70.00 (so I essentially got a refilled/refurbed cart without needing the trade in) - I made sure to let them know that I could have gotten it cheaper online, but because they helped me out I decided to give them my business.
It has been a few months now, and the printer works great - I checked the page count on it, and it was around 25,000 page (damn near brand new as far as Laserjets go). It doesn't squeak or make other funky noises - it's only "problems" are one missing cover, and it needing a "special" right angle power cord. I also plan on dropping a few meg of buffer RAM into it (takes cheap 72 pin non-ecc SIMMs).
I figure I won't have to change the toner for a *very* long time, and I can now print on el-cheapo copier paper, instead of the heavier stuff (though I might keep using it - I like the heft and feel of it, and it really doesn't cost that much more per ream). I try to tell everyone I can that the best printer they can get is an older-model HP Laserjet, like most businesses use - it will be a great investment if they can find one with a low page count (the only other printer I like as much as the HP Laserjet are Genicom Line Printers running greenbar - fast, loud, and nearly maintenance free!)...
Slightly surprising... (Score:4, Insightful)
[1](well, this is ink and thus a bit expensive... but fedex on single cartridges would make it that much worse)
I was just thinking about it this morning... (Score:3, Insightful)
It's the same with mobile phones and prepaid cards vs. fixed accounts. It's the same with season tickets. It's the same with pre-paying for anything. it's the same with buying expensive light-bulbs that last for much longer. People value the freedom to change their habits over time and this includes stopping with that printer long before they recover their investment in ink.
It's very funny to see one set of people trying to convince consumers to switch to a more cost-effective strategy (e.g. buy ecological light bulbs) while other companies get criticised for pandering to what people really want.
Dell is - IMHO - entirely right in doing this, so long as there are competitive printer+ink offerings from other printer manufacturers. Yes, it's crass, but that is what most people want.
If printers and ink really are cheap, this just means there is a huge market opportunity for a smart Taiwanese company to sell cheap printers _and_ cheap cartridges. This is what the free market is all about.
Reverse Engineering and Dell Corporate History (Score:3, Insightful)
Funny, people in my office still use the term 'IBM-Compatible' when talking about Intel based PCs. Are printers next?
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2, Insightful)
Even the lowest end laser printers are so much more reliable and faster then the highest end ink jet.
Only 1 paper jam ever with my HP.
My epson ink jet cost only $50 but I blew over $150 over the years for ink.
I still use my original ink cartridge on my laser printer because it can do over 2.5k copies!
The quality of the ink is better as well and the images are sharper.
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:4, Insightful)
Last inkjet printer I bought sits in the closet waiting for it's next set of cartridges. Every time I think I need to print something in color I price the carts and say "nevermind". That's what cheap printers with expensive ink create. A customer who you make nothing (or next to nothing) off of when you sell him the printer and who never can bring himself to pay for the expensive refills.
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2)
Product branding, baby. Hooray for mnemonic devices!
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:4, Insightful)
I do the same thing. To take it further, I often opt to not print at all, and instead just scribble down what I want off the screen onto a post-it. If I didn't have a nag in the back of my mind about the cost of ink every time I hear my printer doing the hula, I would print a helluva lot more stuff out. So, in a way, having expensive ink makes me more environmentally friendly. (tongue in cheek)
To get back on topic, Dell and the low road, what exactly would you have them do? Despite people knowing about the money being made on the ink, the first theing they consider when buying a printer is the cost of the printer. Dell can't exactly reverse the trend of the existing market just because they now have their name on a printer. If Dell decided to do the "normal" thing... by charging enough to make a profit on the hardware, then selling the ink for the profit that it is worth, how would they get their printers into the market? People would look at the price of them and say... "um, no".
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2)
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2, Funny)
I have had professors refuse to accept or mark papers handed in printed on ink jets because if they spilled their coffee on it, the text would smudge!
-
Picky Sadistic professors: 1
Inkjets: 0
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:2)
A decent color laserjet costs several thousand dollars at Office Depot.
But that said, I'm buying a laserjet as soon as I get a job. Their b&w letter quality can't be beat.
Re:Inkjet printers suck! (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Does anyone know (Score:2)
My parents' Lexmark appears to use the color cartridge to print black. At least it can't seem to tell when a cartridge has run out, so the empty color cartridge can just sit in there while it prints black using the real black ink.
Oh, Dell paper too... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Useless Question (Score:2)
Re:Windows (Score:2)