Bambu labs sends legal threat to orcaslicer dev over use of AGPL code 🤦

The speaker, Louis Rossman, is following up on a video series about Bamboo Labs, a company that produces 3D printers designed for ease of use. While appreciating products that simplify entry into hobbies, Rossman criticizes Bamboo Labs for attempting to exert dictatorial control over purchased devices, particularly by implementing authorization systems that restrict local use without internet connection and manufacturer approval. Last year, Bamboo Labs introduced authorization systems, making it harder to use their 3D printers locally without connecting to the internet. Rossman believes users should have full control over devices they own. The issue resurfaced when the developer of Orca Slicer, a software tool enhancing functionality for advanced users of Bamboo Labs printers, received a cease and desist notice from the company. Rossman encourages the developer to publish this notice, fight it, and offers legal assistance. Bamboo Labs' allegations against the Orca Slicer developer include impersonating Bamboo Studio, bypassing authorization controls, violating terms of use, reverse engineering, and enabling modified forks to send arbitrary commands to printers. Rossman finds these claims absurd, especially since Orca Slicer is based on AGPL-licensed software, which permits modification and redistribution. He argues that users should be allowed to bypass controls on devices they own and that reverse engineering is crucial for societal advancement and gaining control over purchased systems. The developer clarified that their work was based on public Bamboo Studio source code, did not redistribute proprietary binaries, and that the alleged "unauthorized commands" were possible due to Bamboo Labs' own unpatched code. Bamboo Labs failed to provide substantive answers to the developer's detailed questions, suggesting their intent is to intimidate rather than present a legitimate legal case. Rossman recounts past successes in assisting individuals against similar corporate tactics, including Stefan Fischer against DCS and Steven Ryan against Cammy Research. He highlights his non-profit organization's mission to legalize breaking digital locks to access purchased goods. He urges the Orca Slicer developer not to let Bamboo Labs win, as it would discourage other developers from creating tools that give users control over their devices. He emphasizes that the company's actions send a detrimental message to the marketplace and developers, implying that such work is legally risky when it often is not. Rossman invites the developer to share their case privately with his non-profit for examination.