Current rant about the computer biz....

[W1GUH]

It's how companies seem to flip off customers who upgrade.

Specifically, I've got a Microtek 6800 Scanmaker scanner. It's a wonderful scanner, and especially so because it can do medium format (6x6, 6x7, 120 film) transparency or negative scanning.

But those @#$$^$@# jerks! They list no f'ing driver for Vista on their website!!!

:wtf:

I emailed them from their support page and fully expect a reply to the effect of,

"There is no driver available." But, I'll be patient -- maybe there IS one, or at least they plan on releasing one. But grrrrr......

(Not all is lost, I can use my old computer for scanning.)

At least HP had a substitute driver for my printer, so they're a little bit on the ball.

RANTRANTRANT!!!!

[n2ize]

Try using Linux and see how disheartening it is to see a nice piece of hardware out there that can do exactly what you want the way you want it and then discover that there is no Linux drivers available. Fortunately this is not as much of a problem as it used to be. Many companies are now supporting Linux and there are lots of third party drivers out there as well. But Vista ? It's strange that they wouldn't support Vista. Usually Microsoft is the first and formost system they support. Strange indeed.

[W1GUH]

Uh-huh.

:yes:

But you've given me an idea, I didn't think to check for a Linux driver. I'm off to do that right now. Thanks, John!

[W1GUH]

From Hamrick Software:


You can use this scanner on Mac OS X and Linux without installing any other software.


http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/microtek_scanmaker_6800.html

Can't wait to check this out when I get home...but if that guy knows what he's talking about, I'm home free on this.

Thanks again, John, for the reminder.

[w3bny]

Try using Linux and see how disheartening it is to see a nice piece of hardware out there that can do exactly what you want the way you want it and then discover that there is no Linux drivers available. Fortunately this is not as much of a problem as it used to be. Many companies are now supporting Linux and there are lots of third party drivers out there as well. But Vista ? It's strange that they wouldn't support Vista. Usually Microsoft is the first and formost system they support. Strange indeed.

Oh...So Linux/Unix is all dat till you need a driver? Hmm... So its teh bomb unless you need something like...i dunno...a peripheral then you are S.O.L. or code your own driver. Which obviously the average home user does for $hits and giggles.

<insert gratuitous PEH sound here>

[KC2UGV]

Oh...So Linux/Unix is all dat till you need a driver? Hmm... So its teh bomb unless you need something like...i dunno...a peripheral then you are S.O.L. or code your own driver. Which obviously the average home user does for $hits and giggles.

<insert gratuitous PEH sound here>

Thats only for ass-backwards companies who re-invent everything. In the past 4 years or so, I'm hard pressed to NOT be able to find a hardware driver. Then again, I'm not using "teh latest and greatest" in hardware, either.

Just like your common computer user :)

[KG4CGC]

ass-backwards companies who re-invent everything
That's Sony! Evil evil Sony ...

[W1GUH]

Well, no dice on linux and the Microtek. Guess what hamrick meant was if I bought their software it'd work. Well, maybe, but I'm not about to pay for a driver unless absolutely necessary. Besides, hamrick didn't make any distinctions between the various flavors of linux or Macs, and I didn't have the stomach last night to toil through the free trial download and install, only to find out (well, not sure about this, but....) that it wouldn't work either. Looks like the old machine's gonna be my scanning engine!

[KC2UGV]

I don't have much faith in a company where this site:
http://support.microtek.com/static/sm6800_specs.html

Is full of broken images on Firefox.

[KG4CGC]

I don't have much faith in a company where this site:
http://support.microtek.com/static/sm6800_specs.html

Is full of broken images on Firefox.
Looks like a case of the owners/managers got the site up and running then fired the staff after locking them out of the system.

[kd8dey]

Google is your friend

http://www.downloadatoz.com/driver/download_41749.html

[n2ize]

Oh...So Linux/Unix is all dat till you need a driver? Hmm... So its teh bomb unless you need something like...i dunno...a peripheral then you are S.O.L. or code your own driver. Which obviously the average home user does for $hits and giggles.

<insert gratuitous PEH sound here>

But at the same time its rarely a problem. I've been using Linux since 1994 and even back then, when it was virtually unheard of except for us extreme geeks, I never had a problem finding some kind of driver to run whatever I wanted. If it was not created and issued by the company who makes the hardware then it was created and issued by a third party ranging from a company sanctioned to write the driver based on spec given by the manufacturer, to dfrivers written by individuals who reversed engineered and hacked one together.

Matter of fact I often have LESS trouble getting my hardware to work on Linux,. Most of the time the hardware is immediately recognized and appropriate drivers and firmware is installed on the fly and the hardware just works. Contrast that with Windows where the hardware often won;t work until I hunt for a legitimate site that has a driver available,

The few instances where there are problems can be disheartening. But its usually the kind of disheartening feeling that comes from wondering why a company can be so backwards and archaic that they won't supply drivers for Linux, Mac, etc. But, In general I'd say it's non-issue.

[n2ize]

Well, no dice on linux and the Microtek. Guess what hamrick meant was if I bought their software it'd work. Well, maybe, but I'm not about to pay for a driver unless absolutely necessary. Besides, hamrick didn't make any distinctions between the various flavors of linux or Macs, and I didn't have the stomach last night to toil through the free trial download and install, only to find out (well, not sure about this, but....) that it wouldn't work either. Looks like the old machine's gonna be my scanning engine!

You might find this site interesting...

http://lwn.net/Kernel/LDD3/

You can view/download the PDF files thus the book is basically free. A great way to learn about kernel and device drivers on Linux and a first step in learning to write your own. I might read it in my spare time. What I really need to learn are the internals of the kernel. With my knowledge of C and Assembly, I think I can hack it.

In any even it might be a worthwhile read, even if it doesn't solve your immediate problem...

P.S.. what is the exact model number of your scanner ?

[n2ize]

Well, no dice on linux and the Microtek. Guess what hamrick meant was if I bought their software it'd work. Well, maybe, but I'm not about to pay for a driver unless absolutely necessary. Besides, hamrick didn't make any distinctions between the various flavors of linux or Macs, and I didn't have the stomach last night to toil through the free trial download and install, only to find out (well, not sure about this, but....) that it wouldn't work either. Looks like the old machine's gonna be my scanning engine!

I would recommend trying the "trial version" of VueScan and see if it works. Otherwise I don't see much in the way of free + full featured drivers for that particular scanner.

You might be better served to buy a new scanner. There are plenty of moderately priced scanners available these days that have all the features you want and run on Windows XP, Vista, Mac, and Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Redhat, etc.) On Linux many scanners operate via the SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy) interface and plenty of full featured scanners are available that are compatible with SANE.

[W1GUH]

I would recommend trying the "trial version" of VueScan and see if it works. Otherwise I don't see much in the way of free + full featured drivers for that particular scanner.

You might be better served to buy a new scanner. There are plenty of moderately priced scanners available these days that have all the features you want and run on Windows XP, Vista, Mac, and Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Redhat, etc.) On Linux many scanners operate via the SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy) interface and plenty of full featured scanners are available that are compatible with SANE.

You're right about replacing the scanner. They're not that expensive and the savings in time and hassels would be worth it. BUT...at least when I bought it (2003), that was the ONLY "consumer" scanner that could scan 120 film transparencies and negatives, the main reason I have a scanner. Grrrr!!!

I know better than to get very upset that Microtek seems to be flipping us off, but still,...wel, you know.

Besides all I reallly have to do is set up my old machine for scanning. Now that I've got a beautiful and big new monitor and a docking station for the laptop, the only "trouble", really, is making the room to set it up as a workstation.

Re....the book about drivers, etc. Sounds like something for after retirement!

[w6tmi]

But at the same time its rarely a problem. I've been using Linux since 1994 and even back then, when it was virtually unheard of except for us extreme geeks, I never had a problem finding some kind of driver to run whatever I wanted. If it was not created and issued by the company who makes the hardware then it was created and issued by a third party ranging from a company sanctioned to write the driver based on spec given by the manufacturer, to dfrivers written by individuals who reversed engineered and hacked one together.

Matter of fact I often have LESS trouble getting my hardware to work on Linux,. Most of the time the hardware is immediately recognized and appropriate drivers and firmware is installed on the fly and the hardware just works. Contrast that with Windows where the hardware often won;t work until I hunt for a legitimate site that has a driver available,

The few instances where there are problems can be disheartening. But its usually the kind of disheartening feeling that comes from wondering why a company can be so backwards and archaic that they won't supply drivers for Linux, Mac, etc. But, In general I'd say it's non-issue.

As an often user of slightly unusual hardware (typically video processing stuff) Linux has been piss poor for drivers for that sort of stuff. Starting to get better.

But for building a server... Sure is nice to have networking and storage devicery operational out of the box, up to and including multi pathing storage systems.

[n6hcm]

Specifically, I've got a Microtek 6800 Scanmaker scanner.

from the manufacturer's knowledgebase. (http://support.microtek.com/knowledgebase_1/kbdtl.phtml?request=KB-00106SW) in short: use the winxp 32-bit driver and you should be good to go.

on a reviews website the first review i found for this scanner was dated 2003. that's pretty much why you're not finding vista drivers--the manufacturer didn't make them (and seems to be just barely interested in north american customers anymore).

[W1GUH]

Microtek just answered my email and they say the XP driver will work with Vista and even Windows 7, and directs me to where I can down load it. Maybe I'm home free!

[n6hcm]

Microtek just answered my email and they say the XP driver will work with Vista and even Windows 7, and directs me to where I can down load it. Maybe I'm home free!

just like i did a few hours ago :).

it's a shame they seem to have abandoned their NA market ... they made decent stuff at good prices.

[W1GUH]

:agree:

Yep, downloaded it last night & it works just fine. I take back any negative comments about them. It installed flawlessly.


it's a shame they seem to have abandoned their NA market ... they made decent stuff at good prices.

Double :agree::cheers:

My 6800 has been superb, ditto the ScanWizard software. It IS a shame...glad I got what I did. The ONLY scanner I've found that will scan medium format film!

Thanks for the support, guys!

[kf0rt]

The ONLY scanner I've found that will scan medium format film!


Epson's got a line of flatbed scanners that handle medium format film:

Epson 4490 - $150 (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=53540925)

I've got an older Epson 2450 that works fine for this, but it's kinda slow.

[W1GUH]

Thanks for the tip. Good to know just in case.