BLACK INK CARTRIDGE HOLDS DARK SECRETS ?

[Anonymous]

Black ink cartridge holds dark secret?
the cost of replacement cartridges for home computer printers made plain black printing ink significantly more valuable per fluid oz. than oil, gasoline or even 25-year-old scotch whisky. It may be that some extremely expensive rare wines top the per-ounce value of regular black printer ink and there may be other liquids – such as children’s cough syrups – that could challenge in the price race.Recently someone sent me, anonymously, in my e-mail, a copy of an irate blog letter sent by a home business operator to one of the large home and office printer manufacturers, bitterly complaining of that company’s practice of installing a “smart chip” in cartridges that make them potentially difficult or even impossible to refill. There’s no point really in mentioning the company because, according to the blog writer, most of the manufacturers are doing the same thing.He alleges printer manufacturers are installing the “smart chips” in their cartridges, thus requiring new replacements at prices which he too thinks are exorbitant. The effect is to “expire” the chip, which may still be effectively full of ink. The blogger owned four of the company’s printers and claimed that for some time  he had been laboriously re-filling the cartridges with ink when they ran out.(I have done this myself and I assure you, while it can get a little messy if you’re not careful, the savings are more than significant.)The cost of ink savings is significant enough that numerous small businesses have sprung up across the country and specialize in refilling and, thus, recycling our empty printer cartridges – and they all seem to do good business.The blog writer was made of sterner stuff and he was sufficiently infuriated to browse around the internet seeking a solution to his printer that wouldn’t print, because it “believed” the cartridge was empty, when it had just been refilled.He claims to have found a solution…and included pictures and instructions, curiously enough, for a printer that is exactly the same model as one I own – which operates normally at this time.I’ve looked carefully at the cartridges, but can’t see any sign of any chip…however, that means very little because I’m a total techno-dork.My correspondent says he found inside the printer a small button battery control, held by a spring clip. He removed the battery and after a short interval replaced it.Voila – the printer proceeded to print as if there was a brand new brand name ink cartridge in place.Now this may just be the perpetuation of another “urban myth,” but I have to confess the photos accompanying the article suggesting the “fix” makes it look easy, so I have stored it away in my documents file for the  inevitable day this printer will explain to me that it is “out of ink.”  

[Author]

February 2, 2007 at 11:30 AM