Ink

[grasmere]

Is the only ink that is available Sawgrass?
If This has been covered please accept my apologies, could you direct me to the area where it is covered.
Thank you John.

[Justin]

Have a quick search and you'll find the whole Sawgrass small format situation discussed on many occasions, in a nut shell, if you're using a small format printer then the supplier should only sell you Sawgrass approved inks....but the other posts will tell you more

[NikGrey]

"discussed on many occasions"

it's a touchy subject.

[pisquee]

Until the current situation is challenged in a court and the court finds in favour one way or the other, we have to accept Sawgrass' word that their patent is what they say it is, and do what they say, and only buy their ink if your printer is less than 42" width carriage.
Or we don't believe what Sawgrass say and do what we want with our money and printers.
Or, we wait til the patent expires ... http://countingdownto.com/countdown/221100

[NikGrey]

'SueGrass' ?

Is that another name for them Tim ?

Ah, the meaning has just hit me..lol.

[pisquee]

Not my counting down clock, that has been up for a long time from a website at dyesub.org
I've seen them referred to as SoreAss too

[NikGrey]

I was calling them 'SoreArse' for a while in the early days but stopped it, same as me calling Windows "Windoze" as I felt it was offending people.

I am curious as to see what happens when this patent does run out - I am guessing they will have something in place though as this must be worth Billions to them.

All I am worried about at the moment is me getting a replacement Printer and Ink as I have a bad One and it has cost me dear

I shudder when I get a Mug order at the moment - "Will it last or wont it", I would hate to have to tell a customer I cant fulfill their order (Not good for a new business). It just happened tonight...

[socialgiraffe]

When I spoke to Sawgrass at Fespa they said that although some patents run out this year, there are hundreds, if not thousands that do not expire for quite a few years yet and that Sawgrass will still be the only guys in the small format sublimation ink sector.

I suspect it will be one to wait and see on in a months time.

[pisquee]

When I spoke to Sawgrass at Fespa they said that although some patents run out this year, there are hundreds, if not thousands that do not expire for quite a few years yet and that Sawgrass will still be the only guys in the small format sublimation ink sector.

They are going to do all they can and say to protect their market. Yes they have lots of patents, some of which have already expired - not all of their patents are for sublimation inks though, and not all of them necessarily cover what they say they do.

As no legal dispute has actually gone full process through a court system, we can only look at previous court proceedings as to how they would fare if they were to go through with a trial to judgement, and to actually read what their patents actually say.
the court documents and patent documents are all freely available online if you want to do your research and find the truth.

[socialgiraffe]

As no legal dispute has actually gone full process through a court system, we can only look at previous court proceedings as to how they would fare if they were to go through with a trial to judgement, and to actually read what their patents actually say. the court documents and patent documents are all freely available online if you want to do your research and find the truth.

I guess we will just have to wait and see if one of the other bigger manufacturers decide to challenge it.