Thread

1. phkahler · 1790170056 · focus · HN ↗

   Reminds me of when Nest thermostats stopped turning on the furnace without an internet connection. If your product fails at its primary job because of some other priority its junk. A thermostat can be as simple as a coiled spring with a mercury switch - no software. Same here, what stupid functionality was so important they failed to ensure the fridge would fridge?

   IoT is not for me.

   1. cryptoegorophy · 1790171488 · focus · HN ↗

      Similar to when printer stops printing black when color is gone.

      1. Grombobulous · 1790172418 · focus · HN ↗

         I have never understood the negative controversy around this.

         I expect the printer to use whatever inks it has on hand to print in the best quality it can.

         The use of ink is an inevitability.

         It always struck me as one of those things analogous to “I don’t understand why my car needs oil when I already put gas in it.”

         Just give the machine the stuff it requires to operate.

         1. Ensorceled · 1790172621 · focus · HN ↗

            This is disingenuous; a car needs both gas and oil to run. A printer should only need black ink to print black and white documents.

            1. Grombobulous · 1790173815 · focus · HN ↗

               That’s what you think, though, you didn’t design the printer. I assume you don’t have a background in color theory or chemistry or whatever else you need to produce ink.

               For all you know, the black ink isn’t really a perfect black and the color inks are used in conjunction with the black ink.

               I also think a lot of people are just being cheap about it. It’s just not a big deal.

               In my experience a color inkjet printer makes a much better print than a black and white laser printer. If you are willing to sacrifice print quality then buy a black and white laser printer.

               1. hamburglar · 1790179332 · focus · HN ↗

                  You are bending over backwards to justify this user hostile practice. Most people wouldn’t choose to not print at all just because it “isn’t really a perfect black.” They’re just trying to get their homework printed.

                  I bought a color laser in 2004 and I’ve never replaced the C M or Y toner because I almost never print color. Miraculously, it is still happy to print “imperfect” black and white, which is exactly what I want.

                  1. Grombobulous · 1790183494 · focus · HN ↗

                     But now we are diving deep into personal preference. I personally never want to print stuff that comes out wrong and looks bad.

                     I think that this definition of “user-hostile” depends on a deliberate misinterpretation of the requirements of running the device.

                     If we just change our frame of reference to hold the expectation that “all ink supplies supplies must be sufficient for it to operate” it seems perfectly reasonable to me.

                     I dunno, maybe I just have an aversion to broken shit being in my house. Maybe you’re right, maybe it would be better to have some kind of “emergency” functionality for the times when I forget to refill ink. I also just keep spare ink cartridges so I’m never rushing out to buy another one. This is, to me, part of being a functioning adult.

                     I wouldn’t really allow the things I own to be broken or out of supplies if they’re things I rely on.

                     These are $30-50 ink cartridges, and many inkjet printers have cheaper refill supplies with the popularity of ink tank designs where you can refill them yourself including third party ink without the need to buy new ink cartridges.

                     There’s just so much outrage around this subject for no reason if you ask me. People barely print anymore anyway, I think it’s time we get over it.

                     1. hamburglar · 1790275098 · focus · HN ↗

                        Slightly suboptimal black ink coverage is not an “emergency” use case.

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