Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Workgroup scanner

Author:Robert Cassidy
Posted:4/30/2000; 1:29:48 PM
Topic:Workgroup scanner
Msg #:16813
Prev/Next:16812 / 16814

Dave, your idea of a web-enabled scanner is a great idea, but the market dynamics seem to be against it.

When nobody (aside from production house) wants to pay more than about $50 for a scanner, shoving ethernet, drivers, etc. would drive up the price pretty substantially. OTOH, it seems to play directly into HPs new direction for printers.

Why can't the scanner hook into your computer and do everything you want right there? I don't know how Windows deals with scanners, but most Mac based scanners operate off of a TWAIN interface. I can't see any reason why your products couldn't hook into that and provide the very service you want - you need to put TWAIN support into Frontier.

Then, you could hook your scanner into some client machine with some Frontier derived product attached (Pike might be a natural, being the most end-user product) or into some server machine where the scans could be individually directed into your Manila site. Basically you substitute a computer for the need to move the scanner industry. Not a bad trade-off.

--- Added:

Another thought: Maybe there's a new market here. Rather than build your fractional http server into every little product out there, maybe somebody ships a little Cubeish device that can serve that role, hooking into peripherals via USB and Firewire and providing a workgroup interface to them - printspool, image library, jukebox, whatever. It wouldn't need much ram or storage, could be web configured, etc.

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