[HN Gopher] Open Printer is an open source inkjet printer with D...
___________________________________________________________________
Open Printer is an open source inkjet printer with DRM-free ink
Author : mnmalst
Score : 105 points
Date : 2025-09-30 08:57 UTC (3 days ago)
(HTM) web link (www.notebookcheck.net)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.notebookcheck.net)
| robtherobber wrote:
| This is great. I'm surprised it hasn't happened earlier.
| tonfreed wrote:
| Patents around printing are out of control. All the major
| manufacturers cross license everything from each other
| hackernewds wrote:
| specifically since enterprises are easier to monopolize since
| the purchasers are not users. and they need carteling to
| maintain dominance over a product so simple
| charcircuit wrote:
| How is printing simple?
| caminanteblanco wrote:
| Here's the crowdfunding link: https://www.crowdsupply.com/open-
| tools/open-printer
|
| It wasn't obvious from the article, but the printer also supports
| 11" wide paper rolls for us American users.
|
| Honestly, beyond just the openness, the small form factor also
| looks really compelling.
| microtherion wrote:
| I would hope that the "27mm" in the article were a typo (it
| would translate to 1" paper).
|
| Edit: The project description does indeed state 27mm as one of
| the supported formats (A4 and A3 width are also supported).
| Seems an odd choice to me, but there may be a market there I
| don't know about.
| xp84 wrote:
| 11" wide? So it'll print an 8.5x11 sideways?
| kotaKat wrote:
| Yes, that's the plan it looks like you can do. I'm excited to
| have it wall-mounted and printing into a basket.
| dioxis wrote:
| My HP 1022n is still kicking after 20 years, with zero
| maintenance. With laserjets, you don't have to worry about the
| ink drying.
| xp84 wrote:
| Nice. That one is definitely a workhorse. Dirt cheap toner,
| too. I began my career in IT at a small business, and I
| deployed one of those for a very high volume location, waaaay
| above its supposed lightweight duty cycle. I recall it as being
| incredibly fast and low-maintenance.
|
| At home I've had 3 HP lasers in my life, all acquired for cheap
| or free.
|
| A LaserJet 2100N - owned this for 10 years after getting it for
| free from a closing store (it was their office printer, it only
| perished because I did a bad job replacing the dried-out rubber
| rollers. Printed multiple reams of paper with it and never even
| replaced the toner.
|
| A LaserJet P2055dn - like $100 shipped on ebay? owned this for
| about 7 years, printed at least a dozen reams. It still worked
| when I gave it to Goodwill to replace it with an all-in-one
| when an inkjet AIO we used for scanning died.
|
| A LaserJet M227fdn - Acquired with 200 pages on it for $30 at
| Goodwill. No issues as I assume this will probably last a
| decade.
|
| Moral of the story: Laserjets - and especially monochrome ones
| if that fits into your lifestyle - basically last forever and
| print for far less than the paper costs.
| exabrial wrote:
| Does it print the tracking dots?
| pabs3 wrote:
| The license isn't Open Source Definition compliant.
| Liftyee wrote:
| Finally, someone made a printer. I was always thinking about
| this, what with the hidden codes and the government-mandated
| "features" in commercial printers.
|
| I know that many are intended to prevent counterfeiting, but I
| think it's about the principle and the hacker spirit to have
| something fully under your control and understanding.
| marcodiego wrote:
| Is it RYF-capable?
| jamiek88 wrote:
| Is this real or a concept / kickstarter type thing?
|
| It does look fantastic but I fear vaporware.
| yjftsjthsd-h wrote:
| https://www.crowdsupply.com/open-tools/open-printer
|
| > Open Source
|
| > Open Printer will use the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
| for all of its files, including electronics and mechanical design
| files, firmware code, and the bill of materials. We hope that
| people will be able to repair, upgrade, and contribute
| improvements to their printers.
|
| It's a nice hope, but they've conveniently banned being able to
| pay someone else to make parts for you, which will make it
| harder. Also, not Open Source. (Shared Source is still better
| than proprietary, but it's not F/OSS.)
| mrsssnake wrote:
| Selling any parts or upgrades by third parties will be heavily
| limited by the BY-NC-SA 4.0. You could not build the printer and
| use it in a small company office.
|
| The non-commercial clause is not only unnecessary (who is going
| to mass market it?), but license also means firmware is
| proprietary software, it absolutely is not Open Source. Sad to
| see even seemingly user approached projects building on
| foundations they misuse the terms of.
___________________________________________________________________
(page generated 2025-10-03 23:00 UTC)