Waste Ink – lings

Here’s a quick pop-test to see if you remember any of these:

• inkjetprinterhelp.us
• ssclg.com

Ring any bells?

Chances are both of those will be vaguely familiar, especially the latter as it’s the home of the useful SSC utility. Both have helped, to varying degrees, offering useful insight, utilities or support to inkjet printer owners. and both have had their content stolen and in some cases rebranded and re-sold. The SSC utility in particular has been “sold” as a link on eBay for years and is still mis-sold as the magic bullet cure much to the disgust of many.

If you check these sites you will find a common theme… They’re dormant.

Both reached the point where they no longer see any point in continuing development, resource sharing or updating their offerings. For inkjetprinthelp.us the reason is stated blandly on the site. For SSCLG we can only guess as it’s just fallen into disrepair. Check the forums though and you see everything from irate trolls, spammers and “freetards” (to coin a phrase) who simply don’t understand the value of the resource they’re stomping all over.

Why did they bother?

It doesn’t take a genius, but perhaps a little step-back-reflection, to realise that sites like this one have to have a motivational factor for someone to put the effort in. For some it’s peer respect, for others it’s a desire to make a contribution, overcome a challenge and of course there’s sometimes a commercial factor. For myself it’s a mixture of all four but for everyone there has to be a “payoff” of some kind.

In the case of this site it’s as much about selling waste ink kits as it is about people keeping a few more printers out of a landfill. Just as importantly it’s about saying thank-you and giving credit where it’s due. It’s one of the key reasons why I make sure that any contribution is properly credited, even if it’s a competitor!

If you look around the site you’ll find credits to individual users and some sites such as InkRepublic or Inkjetfly where they’ve taken the time to create a mod’ guide or provided a nugget of useful intel. There’s also an element of “leading by example” or “karma” here too.

Killing the Golden Goose

Ok, to cut to the bottom line, I already know this site content is being stolen. There are already a few unscrupulous companies, individuals, and competitors who are happily stealing the content to re-publish under their own brand.

One in particular is using my resources while trying hard to bad mouth my products, as he shill promotes his own, much to my amusement.

Whilst it’s flattering to have your resources considered that valuable, such dishonesty reduces the value of these resources and, like the story about the golden goose, it ultimately results in such resources being “killed-off” or abandoned. I have no issue with direct linking or summary quotes of the resources on here so long as proper credit/attribution is included, but I draw the line at screen scraping, rebranding and blatant copyright theft.

To those who are thinking of, or already are, stealing my content, Please stop! To those of you visiting, please keep an eye out and report back if you find these guides being reproduced and/or re-branded elsewhere.

Spreading the word

Just to flip and end on a positive note.. I’ve already had a few emails or notes with a quick “thank-you” and as I’ve said the contributions from individuals has been a massive help.

But just to add, if you find these guides useful please do let others know.. Spreading the word and making this resource more widely appreciated is just another way of saying “thank-you” and increases the motivation for me and others to produce and publish more resources.

Anyway, thanks for listening and for your continued support. 😀