[sane-devel] Hardware compatibility ongoing problem and what can be done about it

[Robert Krawitz]

   Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:51:24 -0400
   From: "m. allan noah" <kitno455 at gmail.com>

   On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 1:07 AM, augustin <sane at overshoot.tv> wrote:

   > I believe in wallet advocacy: if we only had a reliable and objective
   > assessment of the linux-(un)friendliness of hardware manufacturers, Linux
   > users across the globe could be encouraged to buy from certain manufacturers
   > rather than from others. To be effective, this should be a concerted effort
   > based on facts rather than hearsay (the kind that is spread in forums and user
   > mailing lists by people who don't really know).

   Support from a maker is a bitmap:

   6: Provides FOSS drivers (or pays FOSS devels to write)
   5: Provides Unencumbered Documentation
   4: Gives hardware to outside FOSS developers
   3: Loans hardware to outside FOSS developers
   2: Provides Encumbered (NDA) Documentation
   1: Provides proprietary drivers for one or more platforms

We have exactly the same issue with Gutenprint.  Just like you, we get
different responses from different divisions within the same company.
For Epson non-professional printers, we have no problem getting
documentation -- we're not supposed to redistribute it directly, but
they're fully aware that our code will give away much of the
information.  They've been helpful in other ways.  The pro printers
are another matter -- that division flat out refuses to help us,
despite the consumer/prosumer folks going to bat for us.

-- 
Robert Krawitz                                     <rlk at alum.mit.edu>

Tall Clubs International  --  http://www.tall.org/ or 1-888-IM-TALL-2
Member of the League for Programming Freedom  --  http://ProgFree.org
Project lead for Gutenprint   --    http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net

"Linux doesn't dictate how I work, I dictate how Linux works."
--Eric Crampton