It's pretty tough to find a reasonably priced printer that doesn't use 3-color ink cartridges for the color.

If you're in the market for a new one, some investigation of printer makers' "coding" of cartridges may be in order. Many of the newer printers include a chip in each cartridge that "turns it off" when the chip decides you've used enough ink. The chip has to be reprogrammed in order to be refilled, and the makers are making it increasingly complicated for refillers to do the necessary reprogramming.

An additional possible concern, thus far not fully evaluated, is Hewlett Packard's announcement of "regionalized cartridges," which will use the chips to verify that you bought your ink "in the market where you got your printer." Reportedly, "they" can reprogram your printer if you move, but the apparent intent is to prevent people from using "imported" inks -i.e to kill internet sales by anyone but HP. Whie it's obviously just another bit of "price fixing," other makers may be expected to jump on if it works.

After five consecutive HP printers, all of which have given excellent service, this may be the thing that makes me buy something different. (If I can just figure out which scams the others are using.)

John