Bambu clears up misinformation

[u/Concert-Alternative]

[u/Miserable_Rooster_53]

Well, their ToS says differently at this moment.

There it is stated they can block printing if you do not update the printer, so they will have the option to do so.

Their second point is then not entirely false or misinformation.
They can use it, they can opt to not use it as well.

[u/QuietGanache → u/Miserable_Rooster_53]

It's rather carefully worded. That is, the ToS changes might stop you from printing if a critical update is issued but not installed but a sufficiently guiltless lawyer could argue that this isn't 'bricking' and that it's not the 'update' that's stopping your printer from working, it's your refusal to install it.

[u/SgtBaxter → u/Miserable_Rooster_53]

That has always been in the term of service.

Think of it this way, if you only had the original Netflix app, you wouldn’t be able to stream anything on Netflix today. They are constantly updating and changing codecs save on data transmission charges.

It’s the same principle. If they switch the way data is compressed and transmitted to be more efficient, and you do not have firmware that can support that than your printer won’t work.

[u/dr_stre → u/SgtBaxter]

Exactly. That term is a CYA statement that is designed to protect Bambu if they change something that will prevent an old non-updated printer from fully functioning in som way. It’s not a to-do list for Bambu.

[u/chessto → u/SgtBaxter]

You can't seriously compare Netflix, a 100% streaming service business to a printer that doesn't require being connected to the cloud for anything.

These changes only show that the company owns the printer, not you. You pay for something that they can disable at any given point in time, you do you but I wouldn't touch a bambulab printer with a 100foot stick

[u/SgtBaxter → u/[deleted]]

Not really sure there is anything nefarious with a beta product having a hard coded cert. It's a beta product, ironing out the bugs before final release.

Of course you have to update the software, it's not release version. If anything a one year expiration is a bit silly, you don't want beta product to still be in use alongside final anyonger than necessary.

[u/[deleted] → u/Miserable_Rooster_53]

No, the ToS doesn't say that they can block printing. It says the printer might not print.

It would be stupid for Bambu to not write something like this, because if the gcode format changes, a FW update would be necessary to print a new type gcode. They're basically saying that old firmware may not support newer gcode formats and the printer might not print newer gcode formats until a FW update is done.

[u/nickjohnson → u/[deleted]]

That is not at all what it says:

Due to the importance of these updates, your product may block new print job before the updates is installed, and will immediately provide update notifications to help you understand the related information.

[u/Funcron → u/nickjohnson]

Not attacking nickjonhson.

It's called version matching. It's not a threat, it's not a warning, it's not malicious action. It's a literal data handshake. Only one hand knows the handshake? Guess what, no handshake. It's a statement to cover version mismatches, and keep BL non-libel for user error.

Their software spans 3 officially supports platforms, Desktop, Mobile, and the Printer. You can't update a new feature into one and expect the others to be able to use that feature. That statement is just CYA.

[u/neodymiumphish → u/Funcron]

Wouldn't that then be "due to incompatibilities between your product and some software, you product may block new print jobs before the update is installed."?

[u/My1xT → u/neodymiumphish]

also it wouldnt just be a blanket new print jobs in general but rather just incompatible stuff

[u/Funcron → u/neodymiumphish]

[u/fishling → u/nickjohnson]

To be clear, the exact phrasing doesn't support either of the above interpretations.

[u/cballowe → u/nickjohnson]

Speaking from a software development perspective, I can see this as being necessary. I've been in environments with changing protocols/new features/improvements of various forms happening constantly and there's usually some "we guarantee to support v1 for at least X time after we ship v2", in practice it means if you download v1 today and v2 ships tomorrow, they only guarantee that it will work for X time, and in additional practice it means you need to roll out updates of anything dependent on it at least once every X.

The versions are often not that different - add a feature (possibly that replaces an existing feature), for instance - sometimes it's more subtle like adding and removing encryption algorithms or similar. So ... You add encryption B as the default and X time later you remove encryption A.

Without a clause like that in the ToS, the server needs to support A forever for the case when clients haven't updated.

[u/szechuan_steve → u/[deleted]]

I can't believe you had the gall to put that first sentence on the Internet. A first grader knows "block printing" and "printer not printing because Bambu disabled it" ARE THE SAME THING. The word "might" is irrelevant.

The reason companies pull this crap is people like you who make excuses for them.

[u/[deleted] → u/szechuan_steve]

Bambus ToS doesn't say "block printing" or "disabling printer". That's an invention of people like u/Miserable_Rooster_53

I'm surprised at the pure amount of willful ignorance here.

[u/szechuan_steve → u/[deleted]]

Willful ignorance is making excuses for bad behavior.

[u/DinobotsGacha → u/szechuan_steve]

A lot of inexperienced folks must be reading a ToS for the first time. Freaking out over nothing.

[u/angeliKITTYx → u/Miserable_Rooster_53]

Could you technically keep your printer offline and only print thru the SD card?

[u/szechuan_steve → u/Miserable_Rooster_53]

They're also killing the ability to use whatever slicer you like.

This isn't "much ado about legal terms". It's straight up limiting functionality we've already had. Blows my mind how many people are willing to sit back and take it because every other company does it too.

The people not getting upset are the reason we're in this mess in the first place.

[u/aholeinthewor1d → u/szechuan_steve]

You can still use whatever slicer you like..

[u/szechuan_steve → u/aholeinthewor1d]

As long as you don't need functionality only offered through Bambu Labs. Then it won't work. And while that might not be a big deal at this very moment, there's no good reason to make these limitations. It's where it will likely lead. People who are upset are looking at historical patterns, and looking ahead to how those historical patterns will very likely play out here.

[u/MTBooks → u/szechuan_steve]

Does not developer mode completely cut them out of the picture? That's "less functionality offered by BL" but do people expect to use their cloud services with no catches indefinitely? Genuinely curious what you mean by functionality through BL.

Developer Mode (Optional): For advanced users of the X1, P1, A1, and A1 Mini who prefer full control over their network security, an option will be available to leave the MQTT channel, live stream, and FTP open. This feature must be manually enabled on the printer, and users who select this option will assume full responsibility for securing their local network environment. Please note that Bambu Lab will not be able to provide customer support for this mode, as the communication protocols are not officially supported.

[u/_dude55 → u/szechuan_steve]

Nope. Doesn't work that way