this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2025
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3DPrinting

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I’ve been noticing an unsettling trend in the 3D printing world: more and more printer manufacturers are locking down their devices with proprietary firmware, cloud-based software, and other anti-consumer restrictions. Despite this, they still receive glowing reviews, even from tech-savvy communities.

Back in the day, 3D printing was all about open-source hardware, modding, and user control. Now, it feels like we’re heading towards the same path as smartphones and other consumer tech—walled gardens, forced online accounts, and limited third-party compatibility. Some companies even prevent users from using alternative slicers or modifying firmware without jumping through hoops.

My question is: Has 3D printing gone too mainstream? Are newer users simply unaware (or uninterested) in the dangers of locked-down ecosystems? Have we lost the awareness of FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software) and user freedom that once defined this space?

I’d love to hear thoughts from the community. Do you think this is just a phase, or are we stuck on this trajectory? What can we do to push back against enshitification before it’s too late?

(Transparency Note: I wrote this text myself, but since English is not my first language, I used LLM to refine some formulations. The core content and ideas are entirely my own.)

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

Despite this, they still receive glowing reviews, even from tech-savvy communities.

I mean, most people don't care. How often do you see mainstream smartphone reviewers making a single mention of the insane amount of bloatware and spyware on phones, or calling out Apple for their unrepairable devices? Shit just blows over eventually and consumers accept it for what it is. 3D printers are not exempt from this mentality.

Jeff Geerling made a video today about how he bought a dishwasher that was top-rated by ~~RTINGS~~ Consumer Reports with no mention of the fact that in order to make it do a God damn thing, you have to connect it to the app, create an account, and connect it to them OEM's cloud.

Several years ago I bought a DJI action cam and it was the same thing. You can't do jack shit with it without connecting it to an app and creating an account. I watched dozens of reviews and this was never mentioned. I returned it but I'm sure 99.9% either don't give a fuck or accepted it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

When I'm shopping for cell phones and reading reviews a routinely see comments about the amount of bloatware embedded on various manufacturer's devices. People actually do care about it, reviewers actually do write about it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Never seen it before.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think 3D-Printers have just this DIY image for me and that's why i thought the general 3D-Printer user is more tech-savvy and aware.

If they would tell me that my ESP32 needs cloud connection to use them i would be furious to.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The industry is evolving. It happens in every industry eventually. When any one OEM corners a sufficient market size (like Bambu), they start taking freedom from the user to lock them into their ecosystem. Then all the other OEMs go "well if they're doing it I guess we can do it too". This is what you see trickle down from Apple all the time: headphone jacks, glued together devices, soldered RAM, and most recently unhinged RAM and storage prices, etc.

It's what you see in the smart home industry as well. A dozen different brands with zero interoperability because none of them want to compete on a level playing field, they all just want to lock you into their ecosystem.

It didn't seem to work for Bambu but they will back down and then try it again in another 12 months or make smaller changes. They just boiled the frog too quickly.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Apple's RAM/storage prices have been unhinged for a long time. I try to avoid any upgrades when I buy their products, it's usually better to get the higher model - I.e. with better processor/better product line (which usually has a better starting RAM/storage), than to upgrade a base model

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

yeah but it's only relatively recently that other OEMs are adopting these pricing strategies.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Do you mean having a lot higher margins on upgrades? I don't think that's true either, but maybe they've been getting more aggressive on that front over time.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean they charge 800%+ the value for additional storage options. There's no "thinking" it's true, it just is.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I was talking about other OEMs that you've mentioned. It's obvious what Apple does

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Which OEMs are as bad as Apple is, can you show me an example? I had no idea to be honest

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Just wanted to mention, it was top by consumer reports. I don't think he mentioned RTHINGs but could have missed that.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Edited, thanks