Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:5519 comp.periphs:1607
Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uflorida!gatech!emcard!stiatl!john
From: john@stiatl.UUCP (John DeArmond)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,comp.periphs
Subject: Proprietary hardware  (was Re: DataProducts LZR-1230 Laser info wanted)
Keywords: schematics, repair information
Message-ID: <3743@stiatl.UUCP>
Date: 12 Mar 89 18:50:25 GMT
References: <2140@cpoint.UUCP>
Reply-To: john@stiatl.UUCP (John DeArmond)
Organization: Sales Technologies Inc., Atlanta, GA
Lines: 51

In article <2140@cpoint.UUCP> die@cpoint.UUCP (David I. Emery) writes:
>
>	I have been personally bequethed a broken Data Products LZR-1230 laser
.......>
>	I have called Data Products up in an attempt to obtain
>a schematic and was told "we don't release schematics to our distributors
>or field service people any more and won't even consider selling them to you...
>a mere customer. If you want the printer fixed you'd better pay us to
>fix it ..."  ( They do offer a board-changers-troubleshooting guide for $125 
>with no schematics or detailed technical information)
>
[rest of a very good article about proprietary hardware deleted]

>	David I. Emery   Clearpoint Research Corp. 
>	99 South Street, Hopkinton Ma. 01748  1-508-435-2000
>	{decvax, cybvax0, mirror}!frog!cpoint!die 


Dave,
I've been fighting the same problem for years.  It is very seldom that 
I would attempt to fix hardware at a component level but detailed 
schematics and tech documentation allow me and my employees gain a 
more thorough understanding of the features and limitations of a piece
of hardware.  For instance, if I see that a serial port driver has been
hooked to +- 5 volts to same money instead of the normal +-12, I know that
a) the 5 volts I see on my meter is normal and b) don't expect to drive
long cables with the device.

Manufacturers seem to think that denying this information to users somehow
protects proprietary designs.  The truth of the matter is withholding
tech information is almost irrelevant to those with the incentive to 
copy the technology.  It's kinda like gun control - the only ones affected
are the good guys.

The only real way to fight this problem is with the allmighty Buck.  I 
refuse to buy any equipment for which I cannot obtain technical documentation.
When I have to decline a purchase, I make sure the proper people in the 
company know why they lost the sale and how much potential business they are 
loosing.  About the only exception I make to this policy is in buying 
no-name PC-clone boards which are usually functionally equivilent to the
documented IBM version.  These boards are throw-aways so repair never
enters the equation.  In this wonderful world of competition, there is 
almost always someone who makes the same product who IS attuned to its
customers and users.

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC                     | Manual? ... What manual ?!? 
Sales Technologies, Inc.    Atlanta, GA    | This is Unix, My son, You 
...!gatech!stiatl!john                     | just GOTTA Know!!!