The Sad Demise of Hewlett-Packard Printers
About 20 years ago a nice Hewlett-Packard (HP) LaserJet 4200 with a duplex tray found a spot in the home. The 4200 replaced a dependable but slower HP II LaserJet that had performed wonderfully for more than a dozen years.
The 4200 was introduced in the day when the name of Hewlett-Packard was a standard by which competitors were measured. When purchasing the 4200 no other printer manufacturer was considered.
The 4200 has proven to be a workhorse. Through the years some parts have been replaced. The printer remains functional and dependable. Durable. A testimony to the legend once known as Hewlett-Packard.
The legend no longer exists. Browsing the web indicates that many people these days hold HP printers in contempt. Rather than stick to their heritage and sell the best printer possible, the HP folks resort to shenanigans and ploys with the idea of creating vendor lock-in and perpetual dependence.
Notable is how owners are manipulated to only use HP ink jet cartridges. Some new HP printers require an online registration before printing a single page. Some HP printers require a smart phone app.
The HP folks long have provided excellent Linux driver support for their printers. Yet with such tactics these days why would anybody consider buying an HP printer?
Posted: Category: Usability Tagged: General
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