Hello, On Jun 5 15:55 Daniel Gl?ckner wrote (shortened): > It may sound naive, but usually a scanner driver just needs to write some > registers and accept the incoming image data. > I don't see what needs to be hidden in that process. ... > Maybe it is possible to make your driver compile with a reduced set of > functionality that doesn't need those closed source modules. ... > If you want to implement image processing algorithms (dust removal, > ICC profiles, descreening), don't. This should be done in frontends. ... > While it is nice to talk to developers that want to respect the GPL in their > commercial products, it would be better if we can avoid having to find a > compromise by convincing those that object an open source approach.
Many thanks to point this out! Of course I fully agree! Unfortunately according to my experience with printer manufacturers they make very often the mistake that they like to provide a single big-and-fat-all-in-one-full-featured driver monster instead of well seperated parts. Compare http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Information_for_Printer_Manufacturers_Regarding_Linux_Support The ideas behind are exactly the same for printers and scanners but unfortunately (I have no idea why) only a few manufacturers seem to understand the enormous benefit of free drivers: ------------------------------------------------------------------- The advantage for the ... manufacturer is that he will receive comprehensive Linux support for his devices * in all products ... * on all hardware platforms ... * for new versions of the products ... without any extra expenses for the ... manufacturer. ------------------------------------------------------------------- But also note the ZJStream example. Here the license issue is directly related to the low-level protocol how to send raw data to a ZJStream printer. Kind Regards Johannes Meixner -- SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, Maxfeldstrasse 5, 90409 Nuernberg, Germany AG Nuernberg, HRB 16746, GF: Markus Rex
