[Openicc] ColorVision Open Source Policy

[Hal V. Engel]

On Monday 12 November 2007 13:39:11 Graeme Gill wrote:
> Hubert Figuiere wrote:
> > This is pretty bad. Is it hard to reverse engineer?
>
> Not really, apart from the usual legal attempts via license
> agreements, to prevent such activity.
>
> The real lesson here though, is that you should probably steer clear
> of this line of products until they change their attitude.
>
> X-Rite (for instance) has a somewhat better attitude, so I'd
> be looking at the Eye-One Display or Huey products, before considering
> a Spyder.
>
> Graeme Gill.

I agree.  The correct response to ColorVision not wanting anything to do with 
open source is to return the favor and have nothing to do with them.   The 
response I got from them was much stronger and much more negative than I had 
expected.  Other firms I have contacted about this were at worst non-commital 
and they were willing to at least talk about it.   

In a follow up from C. David Tobie of ColorVision he wrote:

"We have supported Linux for years, for specialty clients such as Disney. We 
continue to consider the possibility of a display calibration solution for 
end users on Linux. But no one on Linux/Unix,BSD ever contacts us and asks 
about products they can purchase from us for those platforms, they always ask 
if we have an SDK, so they can write something themselves. Its a very 
different type of market.."

In short they just don't get it.  His example of "supporting linux" is support 
for one firm that represents perhaps 0.0000001% of the installed Linux user 
base.  Wow if only we had that kind of "support" from every hardware vendor!  
He also did not see the contradiction of claiming to support linux while at 
the same time having a blanket policy of not providing support for their 
hardware in open source projects.

X-Rite does not have a blanket policy excluding support for open source 
projects and they appear to be taking at least some steps to work with us.   
They recently did a survey of their registered developers asking about what 
was needed from them with respect to providing drivers/interface libraries 
for Linux.  Although they were asking about providing a proprietary solution 
which I am sure did not get a very good response from those who responded to 
the survey.   In addition, I was told by upper management at X-Rite late last 
year that they would likely start working on a new interface library that 
would include Linux support early next year (2008).   The survey appears to 
be part of that effort.  So at least they are trying to figure out how to 
work with us even if they still are not fully getting it.   I am also fairly 
confident that when this library is available that they will not prevent it's 
use in open source projects.   I have been told that someone from X-Rite 
became a member of this list shortly after the Linux survey. 

For testing I have a Spyder 2, a EyeOne Display Lt and a Huey.  Of the three I 
like the EyeOne the best in almost every way.  The one thing I like more 
about the Spyder 2 is the LCD weight is attached to the cord so it can not be 
lost.   I have not had the Huey long enough to comment on it other than to 
say that the software that comes with it is far too crippled.  But if we can 
get the Huey working with our open systems it may a good solution for many 
users because of it's very low cost.  These are selling on eBay for around 
$50 plus shipping.

Hal