# Re: Canoscan FB630U

From: Marian Eichholz (marian.eichholz@freenet-ag.de)
Date: Mon Mar 05 2001 - 07:49:14 PST

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  Simon Heywood wrote:

  > Today I telephoned Canon UK, and was informed that Canon are not going to
  > release any technical specs at all, even with a NDA (what a surprise);

  ...Bummer. They are *really* unwilling to release information. Perhaps
  they made a *very* bad- design and are really afraid, that people might
  notice it.

  > however I was given the Managing Director's address for delivery of any
  > letters I might care to write explaining the situation. Does anyone have a
  > recommendation as to starting an online petition (and of course whether
  > you think this would be appropriate).

  This is like my situation with Microtek. The engineer, who wrote to me,
  mentioned an NDA but knew in advance, that I would not accept it.

  I tried/am trying to convince him, that I will publish a driver anyway,
  regardless of all possible problems and insane design due to lack of
  information, and that it will be the best for Microtek and us all, if
  they support it by specification disclosure, rather than to slow the
  progress down by obfuscation.

  I really hope, that Microtek is smart and honest and discloses the
  scanner details. But I have no idea, if I used the right tone and
  temperament. But what did we had to lose?

  NDAs are a real problem with the cheap "no api" solutions. The Microtek
  scanner - for example - uses a register transfer model over USB, fairly
  simple and straight. It saves the company lots of money, because they
  don't have to build a hardware abstraction (in terms of SCSI2 or so),
  but they have no chance to hide the device internals and I.P. in this
  model.

  > Canon claim they are "looking into" producing a driver package for Linux.
  > However, they were unable to tell me whether or not this would work in
  > conjunction with SANE, or in fact conform to any established Linux
  > standards.

  Drivers by a vendor are good, but specification and/or drivers with
  source and an open license are really better. Just take NVIDIA as an
  example. It is nice, that they are building 3D-drivers. How nice it
  would be, if they worked reliable. :-(((

  And there are "driver construction kids" for Linux out there, that
  really breach *any* kernel mode protection. Nobody should give vendors a
  chance to work with such blundering tools without beeing blamed for it.

  > In the meantime, I will investigate the possibilities offered by
  > "sniffing" the comms protocol and/or looking at the
  > <canonscanner.sourceforge.net> code. Time to read up on USB/SANE methinks.

  I wish You all the best with it!

      --
      Mit freundlichen Gruessen / Yours sincerely
      Marian Eichholz (0211/53087-521)
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