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Well, that didn't take long!
Last year, after Coke took 10% stake in the company, Keurig started shipping a new version of their instant coffee machines. The primary 'improvement' was the addition of DRM designed to exclude any coffee not approved by Keurig. It is a scheme very much like the ink cartridge DRM of IBM/Lexmark.
One coffee maker has decided to crack that Keurig's DRM and are now shipping a device you insert into the maker that lets you spoof it into thinking any coffee is 'authorized.' They are capitalizing on their new Freedom Clip by giving it away along with free samples of their coffee.
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A grammarian's life is always in tense.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 02 2015, @08:51AM
Anyone bringing up that topic should be required to include the URL of a vendor who still re-inks ribbons.
Extra points if the vendor keeps the shell, throws out the old ribbon, and puts in a new ribbon.
(There used to be a place in Las Vegas that did just that.)
Indeed, these could not be farther from DRM'd junk.
-- gewg_
(Score: 1) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 02 2015, @10:45AM
Actually, if you spray some CRC into a used ribbon, you can print with it again. I handed in a few University essays printed with that "ink."
(Score: 5, Funny) by c0lo on Monday February 02 2015, @12:35PM
OGHIHA (Oh God How I Hate Acronyms).
CRC:
cyclic redundancy check?
Class Name, Responsibilities, and Collaborators
Chain Reaction Cycles™?
Chicago Rabbinical Council?
Christian Reformed Church?
California Rehabilitation Center?
Candida Related Complex?
Colombo Rowing Club?
Colorectal Cancer?
Crowd Riot Control?
Corrosion Reaction Consultants?
Circumcision Resource Center?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 02 2015, @01:45PM
I think OP was assuming that all geekdom recognizes CRC contact cleaner the way rednecks instantly recognize WD-40.
Western Digital v40?
Wahabi Dogma 1940?
Winchester Derringer 40 cal.?
etc.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday February 02 2015, @09:15PM
I bet software and biology geeks have no clues about (without being less of a geek).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 03 2015, @03:59AM
Most computer geeks know the one true CRC. It does not involve a printer, unless you are printing a lovely modulo 2 arithmetic flow chart.
(Score: 5, Funny) by LoRdTAW on Monday February 02 2015, @03:27PM
I think the product he was referring to is Concentrated Rectal Cleaner. Though I could be wrong.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 02 2015, @03:35PM
3rd party dot matrix ribbon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GUUK3RE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2 [amazon.com]
12 pack for $15
The manufacturer's ribbon:
http://www.amazon.com/Okidata-Microline-420-Black-Ribbon/dp/B000HRVDMA [amazon.com]
1 for $13 Still cheap compared to ink jet.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 02 2015, @07:59PM
Back in the day, you could usually find a local guy who had a re-inking setup and get the ribbon portion of your cartridge to last for several recharges after it was ostensibly used up.
That was both green and economical.
After the ribbon portion is badly worn/damaged, I really like the green aspect of re-using the shell/carrier (made of petrochemicals).
If that part isn't damaged, it can be re-used indefinitely.
The re-inking service doesn't have to keep a huge stock of shells either; that should make his costs lower.
I've been pretty much paperless for quite a while, but there are still operations that use NCR paper; a dot matrix printer is just the ticket for them.
...and I really despise Jeff Bezo's labor practices.
He's easily in the running for World's Worst Boss.
-- gewg_
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 03 2015, @02:56AM
...and I really despise Jeff Bezo's labor practices.
He's easily in the running for World's Worst Boss.
I get it. It is like the Walmart of the Internet in that regard. But it is effective, especially for quick and good research.
I thought that reinking would be like finding VCR repair shops, but it looks like there is still demand because of antique and obsolete typewriters and specialty printers:
http://www.drviragopete.com/ribbon-reinking-service.php [drviragopete.com]
Great to know that is still an option.