"Something to be said" (Art - below) is a mite of an understatement;
and the core of probably the greatest emotions in this industry.
"Control" means either strict "Standards", or monopoly, or "de facto" standard.
"Open" means individualizing, customizing, "open-ended alterations",
unencumbered by "Controls".
The passions seem to be divided by those who favor "Controls", and
those who favor "Open", with only a few who seem to want it both
ways, or say so seriously.
The "Control" advocates seem to be longer range thinkers, who have a
strong value in predictability, and planning. Also strong feeling
about the notion of profitability.
The "Open" advocates seem to favor "freedom" (in a product/market
sense), and strongly believe that growth and innovation is greater
this way than with the "Control" people's way. They also seem to be
less aware of, or concerned with profits, and are more willing to
invest their energies based on passion rather than some assurances of
payoff. "Standards" are an anathema.
There is no doubt that the entire computer industry started with "Open" people.
There is no doubt that the entire industry is moving (has moved) to "Control".
And,
There is no doubt (IMO), as the bulk of the industry moves into a
commodity mode, that only the "Control" people will survive. The
reasons are alluded to by Art (below), that fragmentation, lack of
conformance, lack of standards, will ultimately pull everything down.
And result in marketplace confusion.
With regard to innovation, IMO the best situation, with regard to
innovation, and profitability is that of what is called an Oligopoly,
or a "shared" monopoly where there are strict standards, controls,
and proprietary software/hardware but the market is split by two
major entities, who compete directly or indirectly. In this situation
there are sufficient profits to support innovation, yet standards -
de facto or real - to prevent sprawl and confusion. A situation we
really have with Apple and Microsoft eventhough Apple has only 5% of
the world market. An interesting leverage, to say the least. All the
subsegments will migrate to the same ultimate situation: Oligopoly.
Not too bad an outcome, IMO. But I certainly wouldn't invest in the
"Open" products.
Anybody want to continue this please do it direct.
>Sadly, I suspect you are right about each PC being its own DNA code
>(to paraphrase), and we all know what percentage of success doctors
>run.
>
>It is obvious to most of us who use the equipment that this system
>of everyone writing their own software, changing libraries, and
>confounding hardware and firmware codes, and parameters, isn't
>making life any easier. As much as I used to complain about limited
>market options (and therefore large costs) for Amiga peripherals and
>software (and I suppose this is also true of Apple) there is
>something to be said for a controlled environment, especially if the
>software is going to be close-coded.
>
>
>Seems to me, something is going to have to give eventually, or the
>frustration levels, not only of users, but even of manufacturers and
>service providers, is going to become unbearable.
>
>Art
>
>
>Ramesh Kumar_C wrote:
>
>>Hi
>> I too have Minolta Dual II scanner. Before buying, I was really
>>confident about this model but not now.
>>My scanner gives "Holder not set properly" error and stops scanning until
>>you reinstall the software or reboot the PC(I got this within 2 weeks of its
>>purchase).
>>I sent the scanner to Minolta for repairing. Minolta said it is not able to
>>reproduce the problem and returned it back. It was just waste of
>>shipping charges and cell-phone-minutes (I waited a lot
>>to speak to Minolta support on their 1-800 number).
>>
>>I do not blame Minolta for this because, this problem may happen only on my
>>PC.(As a software guy I have experienced such cases)
>>The software/hardware companies have really complicated the world with thier
>>own standards; it is not surprising if each PC has its own unique
>>finger print.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Ramesh
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Vladislav Jurco [mailto:vjurco@atlas.cz]
>>Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 3:05 PM
>>To: filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
>>Subject: RE: filmscanners: Minolta Dual II banding
>>
>>
>>>ART wrote
>>
>>
>>>Obviously, this is disconcerting. One thing I am wondering about,
>>>without trying to make excuses (I have been suggesting this model to
>>>people based upon the reports I have heard until recently)... what is
>>>the voltage your part of the world......
>>
>>
>>>.....Did your dealer indicate the defect you experienced is a common
>>
>>problem?
>>
>>> Could it be your home voltage is too high relative to "normal"? Since
>>>it is USB poorly regulated computer power supplies could also be at
>>>fault, but I''m mainly thinking of the power supply of the unit itself.
>>
>>
>>Hi Art
>>Central Europe - 220 V/50 cycles.
>>My dealer only sells (I-shop). Local Minolta people wondered what is
>>happening. Minolta USA did not respond. Either they know but do not want to
>>admit, or they do not know which is maybe even worse. On Nikon forum where
>>you can sometimes catch scanner demand line were at least two claims about
>>green banding and returned Dual II.
>>I want to underline - both scanners were tested on two different computers
>>in totally different environmnent to exclude the computer fault.
>>
>>regards
>>
>>Vlad
>>
>>---
>>OdchozÌ zpr·va neobsahuje viry.
>>Zkontrolov·no antivirov›m systÈmem AVG ().
>>Verze: 6.0.252 / Virov· b·ze: 125 - datum vyd·nÌ: 9.5.2001
