<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 11:50 AM, Michael Mol <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div class="im">On 1/27/2010 11:34 AM, Bob Kline wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 10:59 AM, <<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a><br>
</div><div class="im">> <mailto:<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 10:45 AM, Bob Kline <<a href="mailto:bob.kline@gmail.com">bob.kline@gmail.com</a><br>
</div><div class="im">> <mailto:<a href="mailto:bob.kline@gmail.com">bob.kline@gmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 10:36 AM, <<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a><br>
</div><div class="im">> <mailto:<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 9:30 AM, Casey DuBois<br>
</div><div><div></div><div class="h5">> <<a href="mailto:casey@grlug.org">casey@grlug.org</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:casey@grlug.org">casey@grlug.org</a>>> wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
> For something like that you need a real electrician,<br>
> however I'm not<br>
> sure how many if any have the thermal imager like we've<br>
> seen on TV.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Most of my day job involves writing software that talks to<br>
> them, but the<br>
> hardware we talked to is danged expensive. That said, we've<br>
> written software<br>
> specifically for folks who do property analysis using<br>
> thermal cameras.<br>
> (Windows-only, sorry; Driver support issue.) If anyone's<br>
> interested in<br>
> starting such a business in the area...<br>
><br>
> -<br>
><br>
><br>
> For people who want to sell you<br>
> information about how to better<br>
> insulate your abode? Maybe<br>
> starting with triple pane windows?<br>
> Is that a hot (...) business in cash<br>
> strapped MI?<br>
> -- Bob<br>
><br>
><br>
> To a point, yeah, it's about replacing poor windows and adding<br>
> insulation. The nice thing a thermal camera can do for you is help<br>
> you figure out which windows, doors, walls and areas of the roof you<br>
> ought to shore up, and which you shouldn't bother with.<br>
><br>
> (Now, if I may deflect the subject into a personal rant)<br>
><br>
> What irritates me greatly is that the SDKs for talking to the main<br>
> types of cameras we work with is only practically available for<br>
> Windows. In one case, the manufacturer only provides an OCX file.<br>
> In the other case, the manufacturer opted for a 3rd-party API called<br>
> GigEVision, but the number of implementations of that API is<br>
> exceedingly small, and the group of companies controlling the spec<br>
> manage it more tightly than the MPEG group; I'm not sure how one<br>
> could legally build a FL/OSS implementation. There's one<br>
> non-Windows implementation, but you pay through the nose for it, and<br>
> say Hello to system library version requirements.<br>
><br>
> It's still the case that many - most? -<br>
> companies will only talk to M$ about<br>
> their hardware. Canon is notorious<br>
> that way. All an aid to keeping M$'s<br>
> de facto monopoly intact.<br>
<br>
</div></div>Erm...Believe me, it's not in the their interest to keep a Microsoft "de<br>
facto" monopoly intact. Most implementations for talking to GigEVision<br>
devices are pure-hardware, now, without a trip through userland<br>
software. I'd have to look into it again, but I believe most of the<br>
companies in the group behind the API are also in the industry of<br>
selling pure-hardware solutions.<br>
<br>
Tell me where that helps Microsoft.<br>
<div><div></div><div class="h5"> </div></div></blockquote><div>That much doesn't. But many companies</div><div>don't want the expense and bother of </div><div>supporting several platforms. So they</div><div>withhold information from anyone but M$,</div>
<div>and that helps keep M$'s monopoly in </div><div>place. </div><div><br></div><div> -- Bob</div><div> </div></div><br>