After reading about the infamous “two blinking buttons” error problem with the HP 3820, I decided to chat with an HP tech.

In the end, HP replaced the printer with a newere 6122 model + cable and ink cartridges, which “works perfectly” under Linux, according to LinuxPrinting.org

I have to say, I am very please with HP’s response, and their support of the Linux community by releasing a hpijs driver as open source.

Tech: Hello Anthony.
Tech: Welcome to HP Total Care for Deskjet Products.
Tech: How may I assist you today?
Anthony: hello
Anthony: my 3820 has stopped working properly
Anthony: i get the bottom two lights flashing (paper jam, and power lights) simultaneously.
Anthony: hello?
Tech: I am still with you.
Anthony: i have both cables unplugged at the moment.
Anthony: when i power up, the cartridge does not move at all, it’s all the way to the right.
Anthony: and both bottom lights are still blinking.
Tech: This is the carriage stall .
Tech: I will provide you some steps and let me know after you are done with the steps /
Anthony: ok
Tech: Here are the steps :
Tech: 1. Turn off the printer by pressing the Power button on the front panel of the printer.
2. Open the top door on the printer and leave it open.
Tech: 3. Press the Power button to turn on the printer.
a. Printer activity continues for approximately 20 to 25 seconds (feed roller activity, alternating between turning forward and reversing).
b. After activity stops, the Power light and Feed light (bottom two lights) will now be flashing.
Tech: 4. Pressing the Feed (middle) button results in activity and activity duration similar to the power up cycle noted above, with the Power light and Feed light continuing, uninterrupted, to flash in unison.
5. Pressing the Power button after step 3b, have completed will immediately power down the printer with no further activity or flashing lights.
Tech: I am done with providing you the steps.
Tech: Let me know your observations after you are done with them.
Anthony: ouch, that didn’t sound good.
Anthony: the cartridge went from right-to-left, and heard some loud cracking sound.
Anthony: at step 3
Tech: Fine.. proceed further with the steps.
Anthony: ok, i’m done
Anthony: the cartridge is now 3 inches in from the left, powered off
Tech: Are you done with the steps ?
Anthony: yes
Tech: Let me inform you…
Tech: HP has identified some issues with the printer and has decided to replace the printer for FREE !
Anthony: hmm…
Tech: Let me take an opportunity to replace the printer for FREE !
Anthony: with the same printer?
Tech: Let me explain you the replacement process.
Tech: You will have to provide me the information that I ask you.
Tech: Then you will get a call for the credit card information.
Anthony: ok
Tech: You will not be charged from the credit card, this is for the security purpose.
Tech: After you get the printer, you will have to place the defective printer in the same box and send it back with in 30 days.
Tech: Then you will not be charged on your credit card.
Anthony: ok, postage included in the defective box?
Anthony: which printer will i be getting in replacement of the 3820?
Tech: Yes.
Tech: You will get the deskjet 6122 printer as a replacement along with the cartridges, power cod and the software.
Tech: Am I clear with the replacement process ?
Anthony: yes.
Anthony: so just send the defective one back when I get the new one.
Tech: Yes, you are correct.
Tech: To initiate this case and escalate the same, we would require the following information:

First Name
Last Name
Email:
Mailing Address
(including City,State and Postal Code)
Time and Dates to Call ( Only Business Days)
Telephone No.
Product Serial No.(ex: MX23I5Q7B9)
…
Tech: Please provide me few minutes while I update my database.
Anthony: ok
Tech: Are you Ok if we call you now for the Credit card information ?
Anthony: sure
Tech: Let me know after you are done with the call .
Anthony: k
Anthony: no call yet
Tech: Let me check the call status.
Anthony: hello
Tech: did you get a call ?
Anthony: ?
Anthony: are we back online?
Anthony: think i lost you
Tech: We are still connected.
Anthony: k
Tech: Did you get a call ?
Anthony: yeah, done. they are sending one out.
Tech: That’s Great !
Tech: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Anthony: nope!
Tech: A copy of our chat session will be e-mailed to you shortly. You may also receive a chat survey. We would appreciate your feedback.
Tech: This survey is based on your experience in this chat session. So, please ensure you take the survey.
Anthony: i just want to say that I have a new found respect for HP, replacing a defective printer, and HP’s willingness to release their driver as open source into the Linux community - this will go a long way with me and my colleagues!

My site running phpbb is pretty much inaccessible since I moved it over to DreamHost the other day.

and why do they keep deleting my posts in their support forums?

Web Forms 2.0 has been in draft from the W3C.

Some cool new ideas are instore:

1) datalist (similar functionality as “tab completion” like in the addressbar in a browser)

2) more attributes for forms. ie - required, list, min, max, step

3) pattern attribute - this is a POWERFUL feature, supporting pattern matching for validation purposes using regular expressions.

4) pre-filling forms frome external datasets

Of course, all this validation can be enhanced on the front-end now with ECMAScript and DOM, by validating a form without having to send the post to the backend. However, when the submission is pressed, we will still have to validate again on the backend, for obvious reasons - ie accessibilty, noscript, etc.