Some HP printers will not print without internet connection

This is another blow to people's privacy where corporations are 'forcing' the consumer to give up their data.

At the end of the day, it's quite simple, where you vote with your wallet, that being do not purchase  privacy invading products or services.

See the following post from reddit of the headline:

Buyer beware! Some newer HP printers will NOT print a single page unless they have internet connectivity and you've linked them to an "HP Smart" account

This is some bullshit

I had an M203dw literally go up in literal smoke at a customer's site. They asked for a small black and white duplex laserjet. So I googled around and found the M209dwe. Ethernet port, duplex, laser, all sounded good

Ordered it and it arrived. Got the MAC address, loaded the DHCP reservation, set it up on the print server, and scheduled a time with the customer for install

Today was the install appointment. I unboxed, plugged it in and powered it up. Verified it had the right IP and I could get to the web UI. All good. Mapped and tried a test page.

Page failed to print. Huh. Wonder what that's about. Tried another PC, tried direct from the print server. Nope. No prints. All failed. Checked for FW update. Nothing new.

So I went back to the homepage of the web UI. And I saw a message that was so mind numbingly stupid that I couldn't believe it.

Printer Setup Incomplete Finish printer setup to enable printing. If setup is not complete, you will be unable to print very soon.

Very soon meant right now. Couldn't even print a test page.

So I went to 123.hp.com and learned after DL'ing the "HP Smart" app on a windows PC, that you CANNOT complete setup without an HP Account tied to that printer.

Which is a giant pile of bullshit. Why the actual hell should a printer have to have an account tied to it and constant internet connectivity?!

I checked with my VAR to make sure I wasn't missing the magical "IT Managed" mode. Nope. That's just how these are. Confirmed by HP's own support article.

So yeah HP can go deepthroat a chainsaw. The M477/M479 series have been great. The M400/401 series were great. But this? This is utter bullshit.

Buyer beware.