Officejet 8500 won't print Black ink only if other colors are out

      I confirmed with HP's customer support that there is no way to
  print black ink only with this printer if other colors    are out.
   Does anyone else feel that this is absolutely rediculous?  If I
  have an urgent printing need and I'm out of    color, it seems that
  the printer should allow me to print in black only. This seems to be
  a way for HP to sell more    color ink.  ARGH!

      HP and Corporate Plunder

      Now I'm sitting here the day before Xmas, needing to print a
  black document, and the printer won't print because the    color
  cartridge (which is FULL of ink) is expired.

      You money-grubbing S.O.B.s aren't going to get any more of my $
  than I can possibly avoid, ever again--

  Lexmark is just as bad.
  I got sick of having my HP color-cartridges dry up on me from lack of
  use that I finally bought a rather inexpensive Lexmark Color Laser.
  Works good, never dries  up.  But the Lexmark color toner cartridges
  are really $$pricey.  I bought a big bottle of black toner for a few
  bucks and refilled it myself.  It still tells me that I am out of
  toner but by pushing enough buttons I can get to to work.  I've been
  told that it will soon lock up on me, in spite of having about a
  pint of toner in the cartridge.  Some hackers do sell new chips for
  the toner cartridge  for about #10.  I might have to go that route.

  Robin F Berglund

  My HP 8500 died yesterday. While printing some documents, The
  computer started to "chime" , like a piece of equipment was plugged
  in, and then un plugged. Printjob finished, but (HP) control panel
  was blank and unresponsive. Power lite is lit, so unplugged power,
  then replugged, ditto w/ computer cable. Seems like it would still
  copy without computer connection, but won't do that either. Herb
 Karkheck

  Canon Pixma is the same .... if it deems any of the 6 ink cartridges
  is empty it stops and insists on a rplacement.

  You have to understand the business model ..... they could give the
  printers away, they make all their money on replacement ink and toner!

  sdorr

  Better get your tent and placard and camp out with the corporate greed
 people. This is just a small part of what is getting people annoyed.

  Kinda like why you can not get wiper refills any more. You have to
 buy the
 whole blade. If they make 20% on the item you do not need and accounting
 degree to figure out whether you want it on a $3 item or a $15 item.
 Thieves
 is what it amounts to. If they take away you choice it is the same
 thing. Just
 legal this way and they do not have to stick a gun in your face!

  Kinda like why you can not get wiper refills any more. You have to
 buy the
 whole blade. If they make 20% on the item you do not need and accounting
 degree to figure out whether you want it on a $3 item or a $15 item.
 Thieves
 is what it amounts to. If they take away you choice it is the same
 thing. Just
 legal this way and they do not have to stick a gun in your face!

 Dale Davies

Strange, my Canon Pixma MP620B continues to print even with an empty
cartridge(s).
And I have found excellent cheap cartridge replacements at MonoPrice
$1.73 ea

Terry
N51079

I have had troubles with off-brand printer ink cartridges.  Ran into
head clogging problems.  Replacing a print head is very costly ...
cheaper to get a new printer!

SD