this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2024
9 points (100.0% liked)

micro-blog-[ish]

35 readers
17 users here now

A place to say what you have to say, without requiring any context, theme, arguments, or ceremony. Be civil.

founded 4 days ago
MODERATORS
 

I'm sure part of it is that open-source hardware in general is "harder" to do than software, but perhaps there is something more to it... such as people generally not wanting to invest time creating a more-crappy version of a black box that already does it's thing well enough. Perhaps it is only after printers get significantly worse or more annoying that people will start investing their own time creating alternative firmware/hardware.

top 7 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

Most likely the printhead is the problem. To be able to sell those at low cost, you'd have to make a lot of them. But to start a production like that would take a shitton of capital which a startup doesn't have access to. And HP&Co. won't sell you printheads because they don't want competition.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

It probably hasn't caught on because when it comes to consumer inkjets it isn't the printer that's the expensive bit. Compare to 3d printers where the medium is fairly cheap and reasonably interchangeable. And if not inkjet then laser, and laser toner is really nasty stuff to work with.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Tank style printers would probably be the way to go for ink, since the print head is not a 'consumable' part. For laser, maybe pick a popular proprietary toner cart and design around that?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

RepRap printers have existed for a while

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

I can't think of any reason, exactly. FairPrinter could exist, somebody just has to make it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

That's just a 3d printer with extra steps