Luke McKee wrote: > These 3rd party device vendors should just rack off. It should be free or > not at all. It isn't right to have "Linux hardware taxes" to replace the > Microsoft OEM tax when it eventually goes. Why do some vendors still need to > guard the API to their hardware? > > Let me know what you all think.
I agree with you in principle that you shouldn't have to pay extra to make something you've already bought work. However, I also think that we should take it upon ourselves to do a little research before buying hardware and make sure that the hardware will work without having to fork out extra for commercial drivers. >From what you've written at [1] and [2] below, it doesn't sound like you had done any research at all before purchased your hardware. [1] > I bought my OSS license in 97 and told it would last forever (from the sales > hype at the time). In 2000 they solicited more money just because I bought a > newer crystal card than what I previously had. [2] > A few months ago I bought a > Lexmark Z12 only to find out Mandrake has the drivers but I have to give > them $150 for the boxed "commercial" version of their Linux distribution to > get cups drivers. The first one might be forgiveable, given that you thought you already owned the commercial driver, but the second one is different. Visiting http://www.linuxprinting.org shows that it has the Z12 listed as 'paperweight' (see http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Lexmark for the entire list of Lexmark printers and http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=486066 for the Z12 entry). One has to wonder why you would buy a printer with such a recommendation. Sorry if I sound harsh. I'm just telling it like I see it. Matthew -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group - http://slug.org.au/ More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
