Tech support

I got an email this afternoon from the Fine University reminding me that I'm supposed to submit a form to get approval for my elective 6 weeks before it starts.  And it starts in less than 2 weeks.  Oops.  I really really really don't want to miss this elective because I'll get to fly in helicopters and jump out of submarines and kill snakes to drink my own urine from their freshly stripped skins and so on.  So I quickly grep up the form and try to print it.  But I'm at my Aged Mother's house for Christmas and nothing here works exactly as advertised so, as unlikely as it may seem, I go to my Aged Mother for tech support...

PTR
Mum, does your printer work?

Aged Mother
Err, why?

PTR
Because I want to print something.

Aged Mother
Oh well, it works off and on.

PTR
So you're saying I should try it and see what happens?

Aged Mother
Yes

PTR
It's not working.  It says the cartridge is broken.

Aged Mother
Yes, it's been doing that for a while now.

PTR
So when you said it worked off and on, you really meant that it used to work and now it doesn't.

Aged Mother
Yes, that's right.