From techdirt.com:

Take for example Canon's history of disabling the scanning and faxing functionality on some printer models if the printer itself runs out of ink. It's a policy designed to speed up the rate at which users buy expensive cartridges (god forbid you go a few months just scanning things without adequate levels of magenta), but it's exemplary of the outright hostility that plagues the sector.

And now Canon is facing aย $5 million lawsuitย (pdf) for its behavior.ย 

...

Again, being a misleading jackass to goose printer cartridge sales is not a cogent business strategy.ย 

Truer words, man.