RE: filmscanners: Cleaning slides (PEC tips)

["Laurie Solomon" <laurie@advancenet.net>]

>I don't see anything wrong with this. People are allowed to buy
>new scanners if they want, and some do; ICE is a valid reason to
>buy; if ICE is good for fingerprints, so much the better for it.

I never said that there was anything wrong with it or even unethical.  I
questioned the offering it as a solution to a user's problem because it is
not really a solution for anyone who does not have it or a scanner that can
use it but still is looking for a possible and practical solution.  It is
like suggesting to someone who asks how to fix a broken window in their
house that they buy a new house which will have unbroken new windows. It is
a solution; but it is a rather drastic solution.  I am arguing that the same
thing is true for handling a relatively few frames that have fingerprints on
them - it might be a different story if the user was known to be a
professional who is removing fingerprints commercially in quantity.

Of course people can purchase new scanners if they want to for any of a
number of reasons including the fact that it could be bundled with Digital
ICE and can uses it; but that is not a very reasonable solution to the
problem of fingerprints unless you know that the person is in the market for
a new scanner, has a scanner that supports Digital ICE, or has inexpensive
and convenient access to such a scanner and ICE.

Although I have not read it as yet, I see were Jack has offered a
rationalization and explanation for his offering that suggestion in light of
the fact that the application cannot be used on all scanners and cannot be
acquired as a standalone program even if one wanted to get a copy for use
with their scanner which has an IR channel.  I will be interested in reading
it in detail and responding.  It could very well be possible that he was
justified in offering the suggestion which I questioned.  If so, I will be
the first to accept it and to acknowledge the pragmatic legitimacy of the
suggestion.


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
[mailto:owner-filmscanners@halftone.co.uk]On Behalf Of Bill Ross
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 10:11 AM
To: filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
Subject: RE: filmscanners: Cleaning slides (PEC tips)


        While I am not seeking to challenge the validity of your
        claim for Digital ICE, I do question your offering it as
        a solution to a user's problem when you know that the user
        cannot get Digital ICE as a separate application and that
        not every scanner has an infrared channel so as to enable
        the user to make use of Digital ICE even if it were available
        as a stand alone application.  In some cases, you are
        suggesting  - nay, recommending - the user buy a new scanner
        that has your product bundled with it if the user
        happens not to have a scanner that came with Digital ICE.

I don't see anything wrong with this. People are allowed to buy
new scanners if they want, and some do; ICE is a valid reason to
buy; if ICE is good for fingerprints, so much the better for it.

However, I wonder how ICE can compensate for fingerprints that are
in the shape of the emulsion: I thought it just detected opaque
material.

Bill Ross