I’d like to see proof that, when upgraded and on this new firmware, a printer tied to the cloud can successfully switch to LAN mode while the bambu cloud is unavailable/unreachable. Will it untie cleanly and respect the wishes of the operator standing in front of it? The recent sony outage is a wonderful example of how online things being flaky can ruin usability even for those who planned ahead for the usage of their product offline.
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There isn’t any supporting evidence to that. Actually, there are plenty of user posts stating various experiences after installing the new firmware, with many saying the exact opposite to the claim of having a fully operational LAN… Can’t say on those claims being either true or false, as I’ve not upgraded to their beta version, nor do I intend to do so.
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Funny you say that… I just got a post flagged as inappropriate… and I was only agreeing with johnfcooley’s self-diagnosis and being a 
… yet someone took offense it seems 
Spoilsport!
Oh well, what can I say. It might be because I had the chance to read a few of those posts myself, prior to some of them being removed for being deemed as inappropriate or offensive by whomever decides what “inappropriate” and/or “offensive” means, very much like with what interpretation should be given to the forum “guidelines”.
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You could still print using SD card, It’s not a paper weigh.
I’d wager that 10 out of 10 users who bought a Bambu Lab printer wouldn’t have bought it if the premise was: You can only print by physically moving files on an SD card.
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I hereby deem your comment inappropriate, on the basis that you may or many not singuarly be responsible for my comment being flagged, merely by laying eyes on it 
110% agree… this is not the 1980s… I think we’re got the technology to not have to sneaker-mail the print to the printer via SD card… but I could be wrong… 
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For info, I haven’t “flagged” any posts, even when I personally have viewed them as “offensive” (not necessarily towards me, but towards other users). I’m simply starting from the premise that either there’s a poor choice of words (usually due to the respective user English language limitations, if not a native English speaker), or there’s a cultural difference due to users local cultural specificity, or due to the concept bias perpetuated in some places around the world. … You know, relying on the innocent until proven guilty principle .
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Unfortunately people are stupid. They don’t have to think it. Its reality. Common since isn’t so common. People eat up this closed ecosystem because they want instant gratification. Don’t want to put in the effort but enjoy all the rewards. Why think when others will do it for you.
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The largest majority of Bambu users are first timers in 3d printing. They might have heard from other first timers, or have seen live at some friend’s place, or most likely on YouTube, the ease with which anyone can print in 3D and what interesting or attractive gizmos or toys can be made with limited to very little effort. All it takes is to buy any Bambu machine (as per available budget), some filament, and download the desired stl file from any freely available files on Makerworld, Printables, etc.
Using a Bambu machine with Studio and Handy make things even easier: one simply needs to click on launch in Bambu Studio and everything is automatically taken care off; no need to worry about complex settings for the filament, temperatures, orientation, walls, etc. Just download what you like, and print. Tadaaaa…and suddenly you’re a …maker, or at least someone who can 3d print stuff that’s really cool.
Your family, your friends, your neighbors or your colleagues will be amazed of what you can do… So, most (if not all) of the first timers don’t really think, care or wonder what’s behind all this simple process, what happens with their printers if there’s a server outage or internet access issue/restriction, and why they are no longer able of using their beloved and wonderful 3D printing machine.
Many of them will not even blink (as they obviously lack the necessary knowledge and the required level of understanding of the consequences) if following a security firmware update they will have go pay a monthly subscription to access Bambu’s cloud, or simply to use their printers, or having to purchase only a specific brand of filament, or having some features the printer came with (of which mostly aren’t even aware they exist) removed for whatever reason, etc., etc. as long as they can still continue 3d printing stuff they find attractive or interesting without any hassle or stress.
That’s the main audience Bambu is targeting, and as long as these customers are willing and paying, Bambu won’t pay much attention to the rest of us… that is, unless the rest of us manage to generate a way too visible and too audible public tidal backlash.
Then Bambu has to react, even if just a little. Bad media coverage and bad reviews on YouTube do have a serious impact on image, brand, credibility and… ultimately, on revenues.
If until recently Bambu slept peacefully on its laurels gained with its flagship printer (X1C) and the success of its subsequent series (P1 and A1), Bambu must now seriously consider its competitors, as these have begun not only to catch up with Bambu flagship printer, but also to bring to the market 3d printers that do challenge Bambu’s 1st place and bring novelties (some of them)… that ultimately benefits us all, the end users, as these provide more choices and opportunities for end consumers.
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I don’t know, people are getting tired of subscription stuff. There’s a subscription for everything. IMO that’s fine as long as you’re being provided with a useful service that’s costing someone else money to maintain, assuming it’s necessary (and we were told this would be a sub at the time of purchase).
In BL’s case however it’s not necessary for us in LAN mode who don’t care about cloud features, and of course they’d be further changing hardware functions after a sale if they did this. So that’s not cool.
You’re correct that a lot of the fault here lies with “the casuals” not thinking ahead or wanting to become educated enough to know better. Which is pretty much the case with every mass produced product…
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LOL
If you browse through the forum it’s almost impossible to miss the large number of questions addressed by “newbie here” users… questions that most of the time could easily find their answer on Bambu’s wiki, or simply googeling.
Here are just a few example at a first forum search on “newbie”
Yep I don’t deny it. But I’m not sure what (or if) you were responding to that I wrote.
I think we agree on that, but what I am skeptical about is whether casual users would be happy to pay yet another subscription for a device that they’ve been using without one for months/years.
Edit - this bit seems a bit pessmisitic even for me. 
I rather consider it realistic & pragmatic, both being proven entirely true & factual by the multitude of first timers (and sadly also more advanced users) reactions to posts from much more informed, knowledgeable and much more experienced users, ringing the “awareness alarm bell”… The result? Nothing much but a sort of Pyrrhic victory, where we got ( through The Verge article) some answers and some (form) of guarantees , at least in what regards the existing printers . However, I’d rather remain cautious in what regards those guarantees until such time when these can be backed up by undeniable facts.
As for trusting Bambu… that train has left the station long ago …and it’s no longer coming back.
Edit: Yes, I was responding to your comment on the "subscription as business model "
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BTW, this one (newbie again) just popped up. Talking about knowledge and … frustrations (for lack of…)
I think the others just don’t believe a subscription thing will happen. I think it is a possibility myself. I’m just saying that if it does, I think/hope the backlash will be larger than you are expecting.
I could be wrong…
Other than that, you and I are in total agreement of course. Sounding the alarm about this, and other things that erode privacy and freedom, and getting people pushing back who don’t even have anything to gain by pushing back is maddeningly frustrating.
First time 3d printer owner. Requested it as a Christmas present from my wife. I wanted a printer that’s easy to set up and use. I got that. I ALSO wanted and thought I’d received a printer that wasn’t open source not that WASN’T locked into a.vendor approved external ecosystem or dependent on Bambu Labs "authorization.
I may be a newbie looking for ease.of use, but I’m not complacent or uneducated and I’m saddened and angered by the direction Bambu has laid out with their announcement.
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That’s great. At least some first timers have paid attention to some controversial topics on this forum, might have watched a few YouTube videos on why the big fuzz, and even might have read one or more serious media articles about all this firmware security update thing and why the community outrage & backlash at Bambu. At least some of them are beginning to understand a few things, are beginning to ask themselves a few questions, and some of them have begun to seek for more explanatory information from reliable and reputable sources.
You definitely have gotten my drift in that post and the first part of the present post does (somehow), I hope, clarify a few things. Indeed, ease of use doesn’t necessarily mean being complacent, and not being bothered by finding out and understanding the how, the what and the why, involved in an apparently easy to use (“plug&play” style) 3d printer do not necessarily mean that someone is uneducated (surprisingly, many of the first timers have a college or even a higher degree), so allow me to rephrase all that into “uninterested” and “uninformed” (also “unwilling”) to accept factual analysis and what it entitles for them as users, or even consider consequences of the changes. Most of these first timers were sold to the idea of purchasing a home product, which one unpacks, plugs in … and play, much like with a washing machine, a TV set, a kitchen appliance, etc. Most of these users won’t bother asking or even wondering as long as their product “delivers”. Many aren’t even aware (or care) that their product was delivered with a number of features (for which they’ve paid for and own) which the manufacturer decided to alter or remove altogether under the guise of a security firmware patch. Most of these users, because they are first timers, don’t get it (the intricacies of it), or plainly don’t want to get it, as they implicitly refuse to accept and consider any demonstrable and factual arguments that go against the official narrative .
Why complicate one’s life when the product works as advertised? Why bother if it needs to be full time connected to manufacturer’s cloud to function? It does work as advertised, doesn’t it? What’s the big fuzz anyway? You (old timers) are but whiners; all you know is always complain and always see dangers where the aren’t any… Bunch of complotists and conspirationists, you old 3d printing farts…
It may help folks understand to point out that yes, they (we) like the idea of a 3D printer that "just works), like a washing machine or kitchen appliance. AND you wouldn’t want a washing machine that only took the manufacturer’s brand of detergent, and wouldn’t run if you tried to use another brand, or a TV set locked to only one network or streaming service, or a toaster that only accepted bread from officially authorized companies (shout out to Cory Doctorow’s Unauthorized Bread).
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Naive child brainwashed with groupthink lapping up the doublespeak. Own nothing and be happy. History repeats itself, human nature doesn’t change. One day you’ll see.