# Re: Canoscan FB630U

From: volodya@mindspring.com
Date: Mon Mar 05 2001 - 08:21:08 PST

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  I my experience talking with hardware manufacturers is useless.. Unless
  you don't need them. (But don't dismiss PI experience - somehow they got
  them to release the 3d part). I.e. first you write driver that works with
  your card. Then they might give you docs.

  Vladimir Dergachev

  On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Marian Eichholz wrote:

  > 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)
  >
  > --
  > freenet.de AG Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Gerhard Schmid
  > Deelbögenkamp 4c Vorstand: Eckhard Spoerr (Vors.), Axel Krieger
  > 22297 Hamburg Amtsgericht Hamburg, HRB 74048
  >
  > --
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