Chapter 1: The Printer Dilemma

My relationship with my printer has always been tumultuous. About a year post-purchase, it became increasingly uncooperative, akin to a teenager who needs constant reminders to complete chores. Each time I hit ‘print,’ I often have to do so multiple times before my basic Epson model begrudgingly starts working.

This behavior seems to stem from planned obsolescence, a tactic employed by manufacturers like Epson. They seem to hope that frustration will drive us, the loyal customers, to buy the latest versions, which inevitably malfunction just after the warranty expires.

The saga of replacing ink cartridges is a whole different ordeal. My printer frequently alerts me that I’m not using Epson ink. Unsurprisingly, most consumers aren't willing to shell out exorbitant prices for brand-name cartridges, yet the manufacturers create obstacles nonetheless.

Photo by FilterGrade on Unsplash

Recently, the ink cartridge compartment has refused to align properly for a refill. It noisily ricochets side to side before returning to its initial position, out of reach. To prevent injury while attempting to fix this, I’ve resorted to using a pencil to stabilize it. Getting the printer to cooperate again requires a lot of patience and repeated on-and-off cycles. Even then, it occasionally throws a tantrum, producing prints with smudged pink lines instead of clear red ones, which I need for my edits. To counter its rebellion, I print test pages and clean the nozzles until it finally complies.

It's absurd to attribute such behavior to a mere machine, yet the human programmers behind its design deserve my ire. How many hours do we, as writers, waste persuading these machines to function?

Sometimes, the small victories in life can be as fulfilling as the grand ones. I’m happy to report that Epson has not yet triumphed over me.

Photo by Dario Seretin on Unsplash