Apple Selling Printer Supplies through 10.4?

[shamino]

The QuickTime Pro ad was once per session -- restart/user login -- and I couldn't stand it. I actually purchased 2 Pro licences, one Mac, one PC. (Actually, 2 Mac by mistake, but they happily refunded one and it continues to work). I have no qualms about supporting the QuickTime folks. QuickTime Pro has been great.

I don't care if the program lets you travel through time and guarantee a seat next to God in the afterlife. I still object to all instances of nagware. Especially in a commercial product that I paid for.

$30 is nothing.

If you seriously believe that, please send me $30.

 

[shamino]

I am glad to hear this, too often people moan about the smallest amount of money.

Compared with people who think there's something morally wrong with trying to buy products at a discount. I guess you're so filthy rich that the price of goods just doesn't matter to you. Too bad we all can't be so cavalier with our income.

this thread too, I know i could save 5-$7 dollars ordering from a new website each time I want to buy something, but who cares.

By shopping around, I typically save about $10 on a cartridge with a $35 MSRP. Maybe you don't think it's worth expending any effort for a 28% discount. The rest of us do.

For me, I prefer it to be easier rather than cheaper, so i like the link to buy printing accessories from apple store.

Is it worth paying 28% more?

I like the apple store, ink sellers can be shady.

I don't know who you've been buying your ink from. I order name-brand cartridges from reputable discount stores. You don't have to buy them from criminals on the black market in order to get a good price.

It would be nice to hear from people who actually make income from using their computer, not some user who bemoans each print for its cost.

So you believe only business users with no sense of fiscal responsibility have opinions worth listening to? Enjoy yourself in your fantasy world.

 

[Preclaro_tipo]

$30 for something you don't want or need is a lot. if it cost $30 to become a MacRumors member, would you be here?


ouch buddy. i generate income with my computer and the reason it stays income is because i don't throw money down a hole.

the issue here isn't "should i buy quicktime pro", it's whether or not "advertising" is welcome in the os. as long as it stays fairly unobtrusive (like "buy printer supplies" in the print dialog, or the "Mac OS X Software..." in the apple menu), i don't think people will mind, but there needs to be a clear line somewhere. anybody remember the banner ads in the old versions of sherlock?

I should have clarified, I won't buy Quicktime, I don't use it, don't fit with what I do. The point i was trying to make that relates to this thread is:<B> I guess I would like to have an option to buy supplies though my print dialog or menu.</B> I don't mind spending for the convenience to stay productive; for example, pre-ordering ink or other commodities from a reliable vendor so i don't run out without back ups. (for me, two cartridges on hand is norm.) With menu ordering i might be inclined to order when it gets low, instead of stocking up with several cartridges when I go to the store. (i sound like a shut in) Sorry to sound harsh, I agree with everything you said Fattymembrane

 

[JDOG_]

Whoa there...there's some serious quoting going on here!

I think everybody needs to relax. The "feature" in question has been proven to be little more than a button that links up to the ink section of the Apple store at the bottom of the print dialogue, nothing else.

I (like others) agree that nagware in expensive commercial products, especially operating systems is terribly annoying, but this isn't what this option is all about--it's just to help joe-knows-nothing-about-computers-shmo order replacement ink for his $300 printer he doesn't know how to use.

The rest of us will just go to Staples or Costco.

 

[Eniregnat]

This is a feature found XP drivers and will likely be an integral part of Longhorn. It is pretty much the standard practice for printer companies who make their money from cartages to try to get the sales directly or at least to influence peoples buying habits.

Rather than assuming that Apple is selling a new printer, it might be that Apple is capitalizing on brand loyalty. Apple users are probably more likely to buy supplies from Apple if they are prompted. They might get a percentage of the sale, and they would be able to show printer manufactures that they have an integrated sales mechanism. This would in turn encourage printer manufactures to develop better drivers for OSX.

 

[Preclaro_tipo]

Yo JDOG_ "The rest of us will just go to Staples or Costco." you're right, that's where people who know about computers go.

but seriously...
Eniregnat, well put, I wish i could have thought of that, then worded it as well.
If it builds the brand, shows buying power of OS X users, then that can only be good for all os x users.

 

[Psychic Shopper]

pricey fluid

I believe it was The Register that stated that the ink in ink jet cartridges cost about 6 times as much as Dom Perion. I have taken to buying my cartridges from third party suppliers. If Apple doesn't offer remanufactured cartridges or serious discounts then they will be joining what I consider to be a very scam type buisness.

 

[d.perel]

If the printer supplies are at lower price, then I will probably use the service. Otherwise with shipping and handling might as well get it locally.

For me, as long as they have the right cartridge, then I would order from it. Unless it is an urgent thing I need to print and I have to run to staples to get it...

 

[nagromme]

People are afraid that Apple will add popups and banner ads built into OS X?

That's not how this printer supplies thing was done.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

This is a feature found XP drivers and will likely be an integral part of Longhorn. It is pretty much the standard practice for printer companies who make their money from cartages to try to get the sales directly or at least to influence peoples buying habits.

Rather than assuming that Apple is selling a new printer, it might be that Apple is capitalizing on brand loyalty. Apple users are probably more likely to buy supplies from Apple if they are prompted. They might get a percentage of the sale, and they would be able to show printer manufactures that they have an integrated sales mechanism. This would in turn encourage printer manufactures to develop better drivers for OSX.

I agree with this. I always figured that this was what Apple had in mind when they created this and never thought Apple was entering the printer business.

By the way, I never go to Staples or Costco, mostly because those places aren't anywhere nearly as close to me as OfficeMax is.

 

[pubwvj]

On a related note, I wish that Apple would implement the iCal and Safari type menu item ("iCal Feedback..." and "Report Bugs to Apple...") as "Feedback" in all their software as well as making it a standard HIG item. Veddy useful.

On the other hand, their feedback web page is a pain to use.

 

[blumie607]

People are afraid that Apple will add popups and banner ads built into OS X?

That's not how this printer supplies thing was done.

I don't really think that people were afraid of this. They were just frustrated with the fact that when you use QuickTime, you get the "Upgrade to pro" dialogue somewhat frequently. When you pay for the Operating System, and QuickTime is a major feature of the new operating system, there shouldn't be a nag dialog for Upgrading. A menu item would be a lot less obtrusive.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I don't really think that people were afraid of this. They were just frustrated with the fact that when you use QuickTime, you get the "Upgrade to pro" dialogue somewhat frequently. When you pay for the Operating System, and QuickTime is a major feature of the new operating system, there shouldn't be a nag dialog for Upgrading. A menu item would be a lot less obtrusive.

I support listing the Pro-only features in the menubar dimmed with a Pro icon next to them, like in the forthcoming QuickTime 7, as long as that stupid nag screen is also gone.

 

[Nermal]

I think the nag screen's gone

 

[narco]

Wasn't this announced a few months ago?

Same arguments too "APPLE BETTER NOT BE SELLING ADS" etc. That's totally not the purpose, and I can't believe people would actually think that. Those of you who actually have PARENTS who use computers, you've probably had to pick ink up for them at one point or another. This is probably yet another simple thing that helps out tremendously.

No wonder Bill Gates said he'd buy his mom a Mac.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[bdkennedy1]

This is news? It's clearly documented (and has been for a while) on Apple's web site in the Tiger pages. Specifically it says

Yeah, why is this page 2 rumor news when it's fact?

 

[DPazdanISU]

apple has been doing this for a while...

click on ur blue apple and vuala, u have a "Mac OSX Software" option to click on that sends u to apple- its been done, doesn't bother me, woopdidy do da do da do da do where r the dual core pm?

 

[gwangung]

Wasn't this announced a few months ago?

Same arguments too "APPLE BETTER NOT BE SELLING ADS" etc. That's totally not the purpose, and I can't believe people would actually think that. Those of you who actually have PARENTS who use computers, you've probably had to pick ink up for them at one point or another. This is probably yet another simple thing that helps out tremendously.

No wonder Bill Gates said he'd buy his mom a Mac.

Fishes,
narco.

Er....Bill Gates' mom died eight years ago.

Maybe you mean his stepmom?


[though it struck me as a new slogan...."The computer so easy even dead people can use it"][yeah, yeah, I know....really bad taste.....]

 

[ErikGrim]

Apple has provided you with an unobtrusive pulldown-menu in printing dialogs to purchase ink for your printer model (by the way, this has been known since early early betas). In addition they have removed ALL nagging from QuickTime 7 (showing Pro-features as greyed out menu-items instead).

Now how is that for a trade-off?

Addendum #1: I refuse to post any more comments on these boards! Look at the ads! Now even MacRumors are following suit and tries to sell us printer supplies

Addendum #2: Isn't it funny that I'm still shown as a MacRumors newbie even though it's almost two years since I registered? All because I think before I post.

 

[FattyMembrane]

Sorry to sound harsh

hey, it's just as much my fault. looking back, it's pretty funny how a thread about printer supplies got so heated

 

[ErikGrim]

Heh. Removed from Page 2 rumors. As it should.

 

[shamino]

hey, it's just as much my fault. looking back, it's pretty funny how a thread about printer supplies got so heated

It's not so much an issue with printer supplies as it is with the increasing trend of everybody to embed nagware (and worse) in commercial applications.

I understand if a free program has embedded ads - that's how the author chooses to make money off of the product.

But a commercial product that you may be paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for (plus possible maintenance contracts) is completely different. This is not a case of an author trying to make some money off of a free program. This is a company deciding that you don't have a right to control what you see and run on your own computer.

This is no different from what Phoenix did when they decided to embed ads in the BIOS chips they sell to PC motherboard makers. It's no different from the commercial videogames that install spyware. It is all indicative of software vendors that have nothing but contempt for their paying customers.

I'm glad to hear that Apple is getting this nagware out of their QuickTime facility (assuming it wasn't just temporarily removed from the developer builds.)

If Apple's "buy supplies" button is simply a button you can choose to click or not click, it shouldn't be a problem. If they decide to go with something more intrusive (like popping up an order form when your printer reports that it's low on ink - as one person said his printer does) then they will deserve all the flames that result.

 

[mark6051]

Supplies - how about availability ?

I view this as just another useless feature like the iphoto albums and itunes store...Neither of which are (or will be) available in my country anytime soon

I doubt this will be different...and is just another feature that will emphasise Apples continued reluctance to truly delve into a global market.

One user notes that in Mac OS X 10.4, when printing a document the user is offered a "Supplies..." button which brings the user to an area of the online Apple Store which is labeled as "Demo" in the background.

The new area appears to allow the user to purchase printer supplies through Apple.

Sample Link

 

[Twinkie]

Yo JDOG_ "The rest of us will just go to Staples or Costco." you're right, that's where people who know about computers go.

That sounds a tad sarcastic, and I don't really understand why.

I fall under the "businessperson" umbrella as well as the "people who know about computers" umbrella. There are times when I'm working from home, and run out of ink or toner.

Since I only do about 20% of my printing from home, I don't really have a need to stock my closet with ink and toner. When I run out, I go buy more. And more often than not, when I've run out, I need more immediately.

So, it really doesn't stand to logic that Staples or Costco are any better or worse than any other place, when you need something the same day. Honestly, it's more expensive for me to buy ink from Newegg after shipping:

Canon BCI-3eBK Cartridge
(NewEgg)
$10.25 + $4.99 shipping = $15.24 + 3 - 5 days shipping
(Amazon)
$11.79 + $5.58 shipping = $17.37 + 3 - 5 days shipping
(Office Max)
$13.99 + $0.84 sales tax = $14.83 + 25 minutes worth of driving
(Staples)
$13.19 + $0.79 sales tax = $13.98 + 15 minutes worth of driving

 

[shamino]

I fall under the "businessperson" umbrella as well as the "people who know about computers" umbrella. There are times when I'm working from home, and run out of ink or toner.

Since I only do about 20% of my printing from home, I don't really have a need to stock my closet with ink and toner. When I run out, I go buy more. And more often than not, when I've run out, I need more immediately.

You don't have to "stock the closet" in order to be prepared.

I always keep one black and one color cartridge in the house for my HP. When one runs out (usually in the middle of the night, it seems), I swap it immediately. I'm then free to do all the web-searching and other shopping I need to get a replacement at a good price. Often, this means waiting a few weeks for a computer show to come to town, where I can usually beat out every major store's prices. I can take this much time because I have the spare on-hand and won't need the replacement for close to a year.

I do the same for other key supplies at home. I buy a ream of paper when the one I'm using is more than 3/4 used. I buy a spindle of 100 CD-Rs when I'm down to 10-15 left. I don't wait to actually run out, because then I will have to scramble to get repalcements immediately, making it impossible to take the time needed to properly shop for bargains.