printer

Recently I mentioned how the old Epson 777 was having some printing problems. Sadly, it’s only gotten worse.

The printer often doesn’t even print a page with ink on it, so it’s becoming somewhat useless. (It is fun to hear the loud grinding noise it makes, I really should record that!) My handwriting is terrible, and using a pen makes my hand hurt. (Who was it that said the “Pen is mightier!” anyway?) Do you know how hard it is for me to write things down because I can’t print them? And don’t get me started on maps! Sheesh, I have to hand draw maps while looking at the monitor. (If I don’t make it to tonight’s meeting, that’s why…)

I’m this close to getting a new printer. Actually, since I have about 6 unused ink cartridges, I really should just get another Epson 777.

I stumbled upon an item at Lifehacker about turning a printer into a shredder…

This reminded me of an old idea I had, The Shrinter.

The Shrinter

Basically, The Shrinter is a printer that, upon completing the printing of a page, immediately shreds it so that no one can read it. It’s the only way to print sensitive documents! (The Inventgeek.com guys mention this idea as well: “You might build it to print the pages, and directly feed them back into the shredder“)

Who would need such a device? Well, I figured every government agency and corporation could use one. And Microsoft. Yes, Microsoft. Didn’t they propose some sort of DRM thingy where you would be prevented from printing a document? Well, here ya go! Let that loser in HR print that sensitive document, but shred it after you do. That’ll show him you mean business!

(I’m also working on a new CD drive that allows you to burn copyrighted material onto a CD or DVD and then immediately burns it – I mean literally burns it – so that the disc is unusable… VC‘s please contact me.)