Re: Best scanning manager program?

On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 22:03:03 +0200, HvdV <nohanz@xxxxxx> wrote:

>> Both of those are *technical* applications from a totally different
>> paradigm. So, they would be most difficult to integrate into a
>> completely "alien" environment, and yet it's done flawlessly.
>>
>> So, if it's possible to port such difficult technical tools, a plain
>> vanilla user application would certainly be elementary by comparison.
>
>Of course there are many fabulous cross platform packages in the GNU family
>(incl. the Gimp) and on sourceforge, though with a bias towards Linux/Unix.
>Typing this with mozilla...
>However, there are not so much cross platform packages dealing successfully
>with a plethora of hardware devices *and* which are < $100.

A plethora of hardware devices is beside the point. As far as the
program *core* is concerned they are all the same because of a common
interface. Even if the devices have different command sets, that's
incredibly elementary to handle e.g. by storing them in tables.

It's like saying, give a drawing program a break because it must be
able to handle a plethora of screen sizes or monitors or graphic
cards. If a program is *inflexible* so as to be affected negatively by
different screen sizes then it's the program's fault!

>In part that has
>nothing to do with the ability of (freeware) programmers, but with lack of
>cooperation from hardware manufacturers.

It has absolutely nothing to do with manufacturers! That's a straw man
the Vuescan author invented after being unable to fix a bug for *two
years* - which a regular contributor here fixed in *5 minutes*!!!

It's clearly massive programming incompetence failing to integrate
different devices to communicate with the program core.

"Blaming the manufacturer" is just the latest attempt by the Vuescan's
author to avoid facing his own bugs and incompetence.

>Give Vuescan the credits for at
>least strugling with that!

But it's Vuescan's own fault!!! The author made a conscious decision
to *bypass* the standard interface (TWAIN) which eliminates all the
need for low level *proprietary* drivers.

Now - as an assembler programmer - I find that very attractive and
indeed I have said so here.

But in order to do that you have to be *competent*! And Vuescan author
has repeatedly demonstrated he isn't. For goodness sake, he can't even
program a simple cropping in the *8th* major version!

That's why, I suspect, Minolta refused to supply him with the
developer kit. Manufacturers do *not* give developer kits to just
anyone! They don't want to bring their product in disrepute because
some incompetent programmer messes things up and then blames Minolta
for the programmer's own massive incompetence!

I had no problems getting a developer kit from Nikon and they're
supposed to be particularly picky (being the leader) and requiring all
sorts of proof of track record, previous work, intentions, etc.

>> Oh well, I guess it's time to post it again... NOTE: All the people
>> quoted below are dedicated *Vuescan fans*, not some "bashers".
>>
>> Are those statistics solid enough? And that's only a *small* sample!!!
>(Snipping the list below to preserve bandwith)
>Ok, you made a point here. Time for the Vuescan author to provide other
>statistics.

He can't!!! That's the point! After two years of being dogged by
Minolta users complaining about bugs he exploded with obscenities and
theatrically left blaming Minolta users! (Quote available on request.)

Actually, he never did leave. Instead, he religiously reads this group
and sends threatening emails to users who publicly expose Vuescan
bugs! (Again, quote available on request.)

>> If it were freeware or GNU licence or similar, then we can cut it a
>> lot of slack, but once you pay for something it's a different story
>> altogether and all those excuses don't count anymore.
>
>Personally I'm prepared to live with a couple of bugs in a $50 program...

And that's perfectly fine! As long as you're aware of and accept those
bugs.

The problem is there are some "rabid" Vuescan users here who
themselves can't (!) use the program because of bugs but still
"defend" it vigorously and assault anyone daring to say otherwise.

>IMO the price is a key issue. Apparently the revenues are too low to hire
>people who can maintain or improve quality. Lowering the price probably
>doesn't get him more customers, raising is not possible due to competition
>from bundled software and Silverfast. The introduction of new cheap scanners
>might help, but at the same time it's likely that the scanner market will
>dwindle. No wonder the guy is grumpy.

No, the grumpiness came first. His standard response to everything
while he openly wrote here was always to snarl "You don't need that!".

And how do you explain him stalking users who complain about bugs by
sending them emails telling them they've been "blacklisted" - whatever
that means!? That's just ridiculous!

Not exactly a trait one expects in a programmer. All his programming
problems are caused by the fact that he's so grumpy and sloppy. In a
word, incompetent.

....

>> What's also ironic is that after Apple went bankrupt and the evil
>> Steve came crawling back, he had to eat his words and take back
>> everything he said against Microsoft. Why? Because Microsoft saved
>> Apple by giving it ~300 million dollars.
>
>Also ironic is that after all the blabla about having the first 64bit 'PC'
>and the G5 being the fastest chip it is now likely they'll turn to Intel.

Well spotted! That's also very true.

I remember when Apple formed the Power PC "triumvirate" with IBM and
Motorola. The ink wasn't dry on the contracts before Apple started
sabotaging the agreement by going their own way.

Apple seems very similar to the Vuescan's author. ;o)

>> So, right now, Apple is basically a minor division of Microsoft in
>> charge of monopoly alibi.
>
>I think Microsoft sees them as necessary 'excuse' competition so to dilute
>the pain of the Microsoft monopoly, open source software being the real threat.

Exactly, it's very useful to Microsoft to have harmless Apple they can
always bring up as an example of "competition" when Microsoft is
accused of monopoly abuse.

Don.
.

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