How is the 3800 status obvious?

My R2400 blinks when an ink cartridge is getting low. That doesn't mean you have to replace it. When the red color goes solid, it's empty. Experience says that I will see the effects (defective prints) before the cartidge is flagged as absolutely empty.

I guess folks that are willing to waste expensive paper will wait for the steady red light. Those who don't care about archival images will refill the cartridge with third party ink. To each, his own.