Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:04:19 -0400 From: Jerry <jerry@seibercom.net> To: FreeBSD <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Fast personal printing _without_ CUPS Message-ID: <20111028160419.14aa5bb3@scorpio> In-Reply-To: <20111028211254.4a29fdd7.freebsd@edvax.de> References: <op.v306g2om34t2sn@tech304> <20111028081055.4A5B3106564A@hub.freebsd.org> <20111028063620.3b5304d2@scorpio> <20111028211254.4a29fdd7.freebsd@edvax.de>
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On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:12:54 +0200 Polytropon articulated: > So let me make this more clear: IF the hardware manufacturer > wants to allow developers to write drivers for their hardware > for free, THEN everything they'd have to do is to publish the > control codes for the sheet feeder and the ink pee motors. > Conclusion: If they don't do it, they don't want developers > to do so. It is their RIGHT, because they own the product, > and they may sell it under any circumstances they think will > lead to profit. Market rules again. I am just going to reply to this one point because it is where you entire argument breaks down. Assume Big Corporation creates a new printer known as "Printer-101" and releases its code for any moron, sorry I meant expert to use to write OS specific drivers for. Now lets assume a user/developer/hobbyist (pick one, any one) decides to write a driver for said "Printer-101" and it is adapted by some unnamed OS. Lets name the driver writer "Poly". Now users buy this printer for this specific OS because they were told that a suitable driver existed for it on said platform. So far so good. Now comes the fun part. The printers output sucks. There are numerous system lockups and other really bad things happening. The manufacturer, Big Corporation finds its sales of "Printer-101" sinking faster than the Titanic. After a lengthy investigation it is found that the printer is sound and the codes supplied were correct. The problem is with the horrific "driver" written by Poly. Now tell me, should Poly be held financially responsible for this abomination? The odds are that Poly will be hiding off in a basement somewhere unreachable. We haven't even touched on what happens if Big Corporation finds a glitch with the printer and needs a modification in its firmware and modifications to Poly's driver script. Who supplies them and what happens when Poly disappears? Check out "MOVED" in the ports. There are numerous applications that are just abandoned or discontinued. If something breaks I want someone to contact. I realize that is not the Open Source way however. The thought of someone actually being responsible is rare indeed. I buy my cars from known corporations and not the local chop-shop. My drugs come form known pharmaceutical corporations and not the local pusher. I like my device specific codes to come from those best able to supply them, the OEM. As stated in another post, if a suitable platform were created for manufacturers to distribute their drivers, whether it be printers, modems, wireless devices, etcetera, the problem would be solved. Of course it is easier for all the non-windows based OSs to have a pissing contest rather than create a unified front so I am confident that the prospect of that occurring in my life time are nil. -- Jerry ✌ jerry+fbsd@seibercom.net Disclaimer: off-list followups get on-list replies or ignored. Do not CC this poster. Please do not ignore the "Reply-To" header. http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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