[COMP] Re: Printers

John Madden wrote:
> 
> > > Does it understand Postscript?  If it does, you shouldn't have any
> > > trouble getting it to work in Linux.
> > >
> > > John
> >
> > Plus, driver source code sometimes gives away the architecture of the
> > hardware, which is key to there 'business secrets' and having a high-end
> > printer, I'm sure it has a lot of them.
> 
> Now see, you've gone and mentioned the "business secrets" argument.  Now
> I'm gonna have to get medieval....
> 
> These companies have business secrets, granted.  But they also have
> patents for these secrets- and that's why the patent system is in place.
> To keep your source code private to protect these secrets is incredibly
> foolish for a number of reasons:
> 
> 1) Compiled code can be disassembled to reveal the original code (or very
> close to it) anyway.
> 2) Hardware (and drivers) can be reverse-engineered anyway, and usually is.
> 3) The big counter-argument:  Are you *selling* the driver?  Of course
> not, the CD comes [free] with the hardware.  You're making absolutely no
> profit off of the driver, since it's usually available for free on your
> website anyway.
> 
> You sell the *hardware,* and here's the big marketing trick to open
> source: by giving away the source to your driver, you're showing others
> how to get your *hardware* to work with *their* platform.  Your
> architecture secrets are protected by patents for a number of years, in
> which time the technology will be practically useless anyway.  By keeping
> your drivers open, you're ensuring compatibility with any platform/OS that
> wants to use your hardware, thus opening your hardware to new markets
> *without ANY extra effort on your part.*
> 
> Now, if I want to get a new printer (I find them useless, but just in
> case...), I wouldn't buy a Xerox.  I don't care how good it is, I don't,
> and can't afford to run Windows, nor do I care to.  I'm going to head over
> to the printer compatibility database
> (http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi) and pick out a printer
> with a driver that's been opened, or at least one that's been worked
> around.  If only Xerox had opened their driver, they might have my
> business.
> 
> So there you have it.  Sorry if I hurt any feelings. :)
> 
> John
> 
> --
> # John Madden  weez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ICQ: 2EB9EA
> # Sys-Admin / Webmaster, Avenir Web: http://avenir.dhs.org
> # UNIX Systems Engineer, Ivy Tech State College
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hehe No, I totally agree with you. I wasn't contesting that.

-- 

James Gosnell
 goose@xxxxxxxxxxxx
 ICQ#1727569
 homepage site: http://sapphire.indstate.edu/~gosnellj
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