🚀 go-pugleaf

    Jeff Long happily shared his experiences of refilling HP DeskJet
cartridge.  Since I'm the culprit who originated this alleged technique
a few months back and shared it on the net, I'd like to reinforce
something.
    Hewlett Packard is very unhappy with our attempts to shave costs
from those $18.00 jewels!  I bought my DeskJet because I wanted
laser-type output but could not afford the laser platform costs.  Everything
about the DeskJet is cheap except for those cartridges.  They don't last
worth a hoot and one is always having to buy them.
    HP's answer to their short life is to use draft mode, thus saving
ink.  Give me a break....!  I bought the DeskJet for its output quality.
    Anyway, a $5.00 price tag for each cartridge would be about right but
that'll never be.  HP's answer for their obscene ink cartridge price
is that the quality of the output is visually comparable to that of a
laser, hence, toner pricing schemes of a laser are used to compute
the cost of the ink cartridge.  Also, my suggestion that the cartridge
should be compared, cost-wise, against a printer ribbon, was unacceptable
due to the laser comparison.
    Here is the official warning from Hewlett Packard.  Refilling the
ink cartridges will probably void your warranty.  SUPPOSEDLY, any ink
used other than HP's ink will result in the priming tube clogging
meaning that the prime functions will begin to die.  You would then
get streaks on the paper during the first passes of the cartridge.
Secondly, the ink cartridge is not designed for long life.  Refilling
the cartridge will cause eventual quality loss of the print job.
    To enforce their view further, they state that non-HP ink will
'crust'.
    Ok, as far as crusting is concerned which can clog the tubes
and make a general mess of things.....  I've yet to see crusting
that is differant than that of the HP crusting.  Also, I was able to
extend the life of my December cartridge to the month of June.  How
many print jobs did that poor thing do?  I don't know.  Let's just
say that it printed daily about an average of 15 pages/day and began
to lose quality output during May.  I'd think that I saved about
five cartridges during this almost 1/2 year period.
    Refilling the cartridge is not meant to make the cartridge
permanent as HP seems to think that I'm doing.  I'm just trying to
make things a bit more affordable than they are.  HP's argument that
the DeskJet visually gives laser output, thus requiring the cost of
$18.00 would be like buying a Chevrolet and to get it to operate, one
would have to purchase $50.00/gallon gasoline to run it because the
Rolls Royce uses gasoline.  ...or something like that! I'm not good
with logic!  grin
    So, be aware that if you refill the cartridges, you will receive
no sympathy from Hewlett Packard.  And...as usual, we as individual
users will suffer.  You see, offices will buy ten of these cartridges
in one order without thinking anything of the cost.
    That is why I've been so disturbed at Atari trying to enter the
business market.  Once the B word is applicable to a product rather
than the H word (home), then costs will be out of sight for individuals.
Just my opinion....

Larry Rymal:  |East Texas Atari 68NNNers| <Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET>