Why is printer ink expensive?

[Giant_Joe]

Nonetheless, the use of alternative cartridges and inks has been gaining in popularity, threatening the business model of printer manufacturers. Printer companies such as HP, Lexmark, and Epson have used patents and the DMCA to launch lawsuits against 3rd-party vendors. An anti-trust class-action lawsuit was even launched against HP and office supply chain, Staples, alleging that HP paid Staples $100 million to keep inexpensive 3rd-party ink cartridges off the shelves.

Inkjet printing

Well, there’s my answer. I never thought about IP being the problem until today. Those cartridges have been around for so long, and they make up 2/3 of the price of the printer! Intellectual Monopoly. [N]

[Catalan]

This is fitting. I have been inkless since the end of the semester, and I have yet to buy a new black ink cartridge; it doesn’t help that my model of Epson is like five to six years old.

[jtucker]

remarkable discovery. thank you

[DD5]

@Giant_Joe

An anti-trust class-action lawsuit was even launched against HP and office supply chain, Staples, alleging that HP paid Staples $100 million to keep inexpensive 3rd-party ink cartridges off the shelves

But rather then fight the patents, and perhaps they can’t, they will counter with violence of their own using anti-trust.

Who do you rude for in this case? The brand makers, or their copycats?

[Giant_Joe]

@DD5

@Giant_Joe

An anti-trust class-action lawsuit was even launched against HP and office supply chain, Staples, alleging that HP paid Staples $100 million to keep inexpensive 3rd-party ink cartridges off the shelves

But rather then fight the patents, and perhaps they can’t, they will counter with violence of their own using anti-trust.

Who do you rude for in this case? The brand makers, or their copycats?

This is the same kind of exclusivity that Intel allegedly used against AMD. They would pay off companies to not use AMD’s processors. Since Intel was found guilty, I imagine HP will be found guilty of giving the same offer. Of course, that doesn’t mean other parties such as copycats aren’t guilty of violating other laws, as well.

In the end, whatever the market ends up trying to do, the government will find everyone guilty one way or another.

[Poptech]

@Giant_Joe

This is the same kind of exclusivity that Intel allegedly used against AMD. They would pay off companies to not use AMD’s processors.

So? What is wrong with offering discounts or incentives to get people to use your product? Actually that has nothing to do with using a patent to restrict competition.

[onebornfreedotblogsp]

@Giant_Joe

Nonetheless, the use of alternative cartridges and inks has been gaining in popularity, threatening the business model of printer manufacturers. Printer companies such as HP, Lexmark, and Epson have used patents and the DMCA to launch lawsuits against 3rd-party vendors. An anti-trust class-action lawsuit was even launched against HP and office supply chain, Staples, alleging that HP paid Staples $100 million to keep inexpensive 3rd-party ink cartridges off the shelves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkjet_printer#Underlying_business_model

Well, there’s my answer. I never thought about IP being the problem until today. Those cartridges have been around for so long, and they make up 2/3 of the price of the printer! Intellectual Monopoly.

This is a none-problem, for myself at least.

Regardless of laws, lawsuits and patents etc. there are always “workaround” solutions available. For instance with replacement ink, there are many, many companies available online who aggressively discount knock-offs/copies of the printer companies “approved” replacement ink cartridges. I use G& G replacements from inkdaddy.com for my epsom. They work well enough for me .

When the front door is locked, just go around to the back, or a side entrance, or even climb in a window to get what you want.

So we can choose to sit around and debate/dream/fantasize about some mythical libertarian/ancap society etc. and how it might work “in reality” [ a complete waste of time in my estimation], or we can choose to stop dreaming/complaining and learn to deal with the real world, as is, no “ifs”, " ands" or “buts”.

In the end,the market always works - ink cartridge problem solved!

[Giant_Joe]

@Poptech

@Giant_Joe

This is the same kind of exclusivity that Intel allegedly used against AMD. They would pay off companies to not use AMD’s processors.

So? What is wrong with offering discounts or incentives to get people to use your product? Actually that has nothing to do with using a patent to restrict competition.

If you follow that branch of the discussion carefully, you would see that I was only saying that Intel was sued for making exclusivity details, so the same may happen to HP. That part of the discussion didn’t have to do with patents (at least directly)

@onebornfreedotblogspotdotcom

So we can choose to sit around and debate/dream/fantasize about some mythical libertarian/ancap society etc. and how it might work “in reality” [ a complete waste of time in my estimation], or we can choose to stop dreaming/complaining and learn to deal with the real world, as is, no “ifs”, " ands" or “buts”.

“Waste of time” according to you. This shows that you don’t respect the values of members here. Thanks for the trolling non-comment.

[Cam_Nedland]

Oddly enough, I was wondering this not too long ago. Thanks for the find!

[kgfouts]

I’ve had a few epson printers and I believe the most efficient one was the bubble jet printer and the printer cartridge are refillable.