[sane-devel] TWAIN 2.0 targetting Linux

[david]

> And you're completely WRONG.
> 
> What drivers are you going to get with your scanner for Linux ?
> Binary-only i386 crappy proprietary drivers written in C++ ?
> 
> 1. this won't help non-i386 users
> 2. there are no TWAIN applications for Linux (yet)
> 3. C++ means the drivers *WILL* be broken at some point by an ABI
>    change (because, yes, that's going to happen AGAIN).
> 4. as the drivers will basically go unmaintained after a year, and the
>    source won't be released anyway, you'll be stuck with an unusable
>    scanner.
> 
> Looks like an improvement to me, indeed. Did you read the code Mustek
> sent to Henning ? No ? You should. That's what you'll get with your
> scanner.
> 
> JB.

I think it is not unlikely that in 10 years most scanners will be sold 
with a Linux driver in the box.
So the question becomes what is the best way to help manufactures supply 
a good driver.
The recent Mustek code shows the problems manufactures have in 
supporting the windows world and open source. I think Mustek should be 
congratulated for making an effort - more than most companies to date.
The code falls far short of the expected standard, but making excessive 
demands will only discourage companies from contributing.

We should be looking for a path that allows companies a easy transition 
from closed x86 drivers to open source. And it looks like that 
transition will be via TWAIN 2.0.

David