HP+ Seems Sketchy

by Cuuugion 4/11/2023, 2:22 PMwith 3 comments

Maybe im just old or out of it, but an employee bought a HP LaserJet Pro 4001ne, that she couldnt get to work?

I thought it was sad, turns out there's no drivers available online?!?

It's an HP + printer, which is an always online model that offers free toner and other goodies.

They force you to use their webapp/activation process and open the printer on your firewall to the internet.

I apologize if this breaks forum rules, or if this is too much of a buyer beware.... but i find it sad that a company is forcing you to use the webapp to "undoubtedly" steal your data.

by mtmailon 4/11/2023, 2:30 PM

Some HN users in "Tell HN: HP printers force you into agreement" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33936862) suggested to avoid any HP printers where the serial number ends in 'e'. "Dont get a HP+ printer. HP printers come in two fashions. A plain version and a HP+ one."

In the past I had luck (on MS Windows) using a generic postscript driver, the lowest common standard going back 20 years.