Where're ya gonna get sprocket-feed fanfold paper these days, though, let alone in the apocalypse?

If you lean on any proprietary component, any printing company is going to intentionally make you obsolete. For them, it's a no-brainer.

HP print cartridges.

Good thing I live outside of the US then ;)

This looks awesome...hope they make it, I'd buy one if it isn't toooo expensive.

Freedom strikes again.

So what? Thats exactly why I WANT a custom built printer, fucking spying shits.

Well, it being open source helps get around that

Where are you seeing that it’s illegal? I own a pen plotter that can print things without tracking dots and that’s not illegal. I don’t see why this would be any different.

https://www.eff.org/issues/printers

Not legal, it's not a law. The government "persuaded" the manufacturers.

2D printers are way more difficult than 3D printers. The only reason we didn't have 3D printers in the 90s is Stratasys and their stranglehold patents. Hobby-level 3D printers only became a thing because the Stratasys patents expired.

Before that they were just able to ask for €70k for what's essentially a cheap ABS FDM printer.

Because printers generally just worked and buying OEM expensive refills was a temporary discomfort that, if it bothered you enough, you could work around by getting third party refills and save some money.

But since they’ve started locking down printers to reject refilled cartridges and third party cartridges it’s come to a head and people are looking for alternatives.

3D and CNC are entirely different animals, for multiple reasons. There were pretty much zero hobbyist devices and the available ones were so far out of reach that nobody could afford them except prototyping labs or manufacturers. The hobbyists did most of the legwork making 3D printers and home CNC work before manufacturers decided it was worth getting into the technology. Nobody needed really needed them like paper printers were needed for everything from school work to everyday business.

I'm disappointed they say coming soon. Laat year or so, when they announced it, everyone assumed immediate availability.

I had the same thought. I signed up to be notified when the project starts, but never got an email.

Perhaps they have just had massive delays, but I too would suggest caution.

Printers can work. At work we have these big canon plotters for big posters. They are basically super size inkjet printers. They have been printing for years and they never need maintenance.

That's why they're hyping the repairability.

Well, it isn't open hardware. It's license isn't OSH compliant.

And the everything else. Since it isn't under a open source license.

No? This isn't a open source printer, its license isn't at least OSI compliant and also not FSF compatible.