[Openicc] X-Rite to aquire GreytagMacbeth

[Graeme Gill]

Bob Friesenhahn wrote:
> I don't see any mention of supporting color management for open source 
> operating systems.  Unless of course, you consider OSX to be open source.

Any of the instruments that use serial ports are most easily
supportable. Some instruments have USB serial equivalents, and
are also supportable (and generally the protocol is either
published - eg. GMB and the Spectrolino, or can be asked for,
eg. Xrite)

The problem is that most of the current popular instruments
are no longer self contained, having "dumbed down" hardware/firmware,
and rely on the drivers to do a lot of the "smarts". The only
"official" access to these instruments is to use the manufacturers
drivers, which ("surprise") are not in source form, and are mostly
not available for any platforms other than MSWindows and OSX.

The distibutability and compatibility of such manufacturer supplied
drivers with GNU licensed software, is an unresolved question...

I guess I'm concerned that reduced competition will just make this
situation worse.

Graeme Gill.