A modest proposal for proprietary drivers - little OT

[Martin Laberge]

On Sunday 06 July 2008 12:56:49 Valter Mura wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> as I'm very tired to "fight" against Companies that produce the hardware (I 
> mean, above all, devices such as printers, scanners, and so on) "almost" 
> or "exclusively" for Windows and Mac, I thought it could be useful to open a 
> signature collection for all Linux users, let's say, in the world.
> The goal is to make a general petition to the big sisters of the world (such 
> as Canon, HP, Epson, Lexmark, Kodak, etc., the more you know, the more will 
> be) to write "at least" drivers also for Linux and ship the with the 
> products.
> I think that, if we collect our strength in thousands of signatures, they will 
> be compelled to listen to us, one day.
> I wonder why I have still have to search a printer in the Linux database (very 
> good work, by the way) to know if my actual printer or the next I will buy 
> works "perfectly, mostly, good, badly" and so on.
> The idea is not to make a petition for one product only, but all products to 
> come starting from now on.
> 
> So, I ask to you if you like the idea and agree, if there is still a similar 
> projects (if so, where?), and, in case the project should start, to spread in 
> all Linux mailing lists you know all around the world.
> 
> Obviously, I will submit the petition to you all before starting the petition.
> 
> (Sorry for my poor English, I hope you understood my words)
> 

Your english is sufficient for me (french)

Many of the free software users and do-ers 
will support an idea like this.

Now is the time to start, merge, implement
or do something.

Someone have to start, then to let users know
they can sign and participate.

WE can do it. And we will have certain success
with OUR effort, as the manufacturers of hardware
are selling Hardware, and we want to BUY it.

WE only want them to tell us How to access it,
or to give us a basic acces method to their
hardware (compatibility, driver, port-map, something...)
and WE will make a pleasure to implement the missing 
elements for them, so THEY can Freely include it on
their Driver-CD, and by the way, maybe put a penguin
on their box, besides the Win and Mac logos...

What a wonderful offer to a manufacturer of hardware
to be Given the driver by volunteer fleet of developpers,
include it on the disk, print logo, sell x% more hardware.

(Even a windows user, buying the hardware, and thinking if ...
Will be interested to know this hardware, will work on Linux too
if he choose to BUY it.)

Some hardware manufacturers will surely step on the occasion.
(as many have already done...)

-- 
Martin Laberge
mlsoft at videotron.ca
Tel:(418)521-6823
30 Years of Unix Admin, and still learning...