RE: filmscanners: Vuescan - Ed Hamrick - Thanks

["Hemingway, David J" <HEMINGD@POLAROID.COM>]

Frank,
Polaroid has NOT stopped developing software for the SS4000. Within the next
30 days we will be shipping the Sprintscan120 with a new version of Insight,
v5.0, with more updates to come.
David Hemingway
Polaroid Corporation
 -----Original Message-----
From:   Frank Parrotta [mailto:fparrotta@tscwo.com] 
Sent:   Thursday, March 22, 2001 3:36 PM
To:     'filmscanners@halftone.co.uk'
Subject:        RE: filmscanners: Vuescan - Ed Hamrick - Thanks

I guess I have to agree with these sentiments.  I use a SS4000 and an Epson
1640 SU Photo mostly for astrophotos which means I do raw scans and process
in PS and/or PW.  Since Polaroid appears to have stopped developing software
for the SS4000, my only option was Silverfast.  To go this route, it would
require a different package for each system costing a total of ~$500.  The
features I really wanted were multi-scanning and better grain removal.
These I got with Vuescan for $40 with essentially unlimited upgrades and
unlimited e-mail technical support from the developer.  If that's not one of
the best deals going, I don't know what is. 

Regards,

Frank

> ----------
> From:         Bob Leonard[SMTP:bleonard@tase.com]
> Reply To:     filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
> Sent:         Thursday, March 22, 2001 1:09 PM
> To:   Filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
> Subject:      filmscanners: Vuescan - Ed Hamrick - Thanks
> 
> Has Ed left this list?  I hope not.  But, please, think for a moment
> before
> you follow Art Entlich's lead in condemning Ed.
> 
> I don't know Ed Hamrick and I don't pretend to speak for him.  But for the
> last two years, I have read every message with Vuescan in the title or
> body
> on this list.  I have watched as Ed fielded all sorts of requests and
> questions from this group.  He has done it with amazing grace and
> patience.
> 
> Your perspective has been distorted if you agree with Entlich's opinion
> that
> Ed has abandoned his public or is showing a disregard for people on this
> list.  This is true for three reasons:
> 
> (1) You have come to expect too much.  Your $40.00 did not include
> unlimited
> access to the developer.  No other company provides this.  What makes you
> think that Ed could sustain this level of support?  How many other
> developers do you address by their first name?  We all have software that
> cost us 10 times as much.  We don't expect 10 times as much support.
> 
> Yes, you have been getting great support and it was wonderful.  But don't
> take it for granted.  Don't think that Ed is obligated to continue this
> level of support.  I personally think Ed might resume this list.  But if
> he
> does not, please don't whine about it.  If Ed does come back, treat his
> time
> with a little more respect, remember that he probably has 1,000 customers
> and you are just one of them.
> 
> (2) Dealing with demands of product development and customer support are
> not
> easy to balance.  Ed's focus will naturally swing back and forth.  Expect
> Ed
> to pay less attention to this list from time to time.  And if this means
> that you have to actually go see if a new release is out, don't think of
> it
> as a hardship.
> 
> (3) What I think most people on this list may not recognize is technology
> like Vuescan is not driven by user input.  What will make Vuescan better
> are
> the same features that you (and I) paid for: better scans.  The user
> interface, that part of Vuescan you interact with on the screen, is a
> secondary part.  The primary emphasis has to be on making better scans via
> better color adjustment, better defect removal, better noise immunity,
> etc.
> 
> Given a choice between supporting customers via this list or developing
> better scans on more platforms, I'm sure Ed knows that development is more
> important.  People buy Vuescan based on its performance - scans first and
> a
> user-friendly interface second.
> 
> Think back over some conversations about Vuescan in this sense (look
> farther
> back than the last three weeks) and put yourself in Ed's shoes.  Do you
> see
> how some of these messages could be considered OT? Can you see any reason
> why he might back away from this list for a while?
> 
> Be nice, ask Ed to come back and if he does not, try to look beyond
> yourself.  Ed, if your still reading this list, thanks for the support
> from
> someone who thinks Vuescan is still a great product at a great price.
> 
> Bob Leonard
> bleonard@tase.com
> 
> 
>