specifically since enterprises are easier to monopolize since the purchasers are not users. and they need carteling to maintain dominance over a product so simple

How is printing simple?

I dunno about simple, but it is >30 years old; it seems a little odd that nobody's managed to get an Open version working.

So how are these people working around patents?

Printes have been around for decades. All the major innovation are patent expired. There may be useful new things under protection but nothing critical.

like inkjet expiration chips