Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: Re: Re: Re: Only one level of directory?

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
I was already subscribed on Egroups. I actually have to create a new ID again evidently (and join another forum, now?).

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Only one level of directory?

quote:

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Originally posted by dkessler

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
I was already subscribed on Egroups. I actually have to create a new ID again evidently (and join another forum, now?).

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Annoying as the merger is, they've actually handled it pretty well. You may have to create a Yahoo ID, but after that you can automagically migrate all of your egroup subscriptions and settings.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Only one level of directory?

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
So, there were always two groups on Egroups, as well?

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

quote:

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I wrote:
Are all you flash card vendors working together, so that apps can share a common API?

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Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

quote:

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Originally posted by argent

quote:

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I wrote:
Are all you flash card vendors working together, so that apps can share a common API?

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Well, are you? There's you, TRG, Palm's new API, Sony, the SMS and SmartMedia springboards, ... it'd be nice to be able to write one JPEG viewer...

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The short answer is "no". But I certainly do understand your concern. A single standard would be nice, but I don't see TRG, Palm, and Sony ever agreeing on a standard API, so what's one more

Kopsis considered implementing TRG's API but it is much more complex than is necessary for a Palm OS device. The Sony and Palm API's came out after FlashAdapter driver development was well under way. And we consider the Palm API to be a "moving target" until an OS that uses it is actually released. We're trying to get access to the Sony API, but Sony appears to be in no hurry to process our developer registration. We have also not been able to obtain any API information from the MemPlug folks thus far.

Palm may have the user base to get developers writing apps for their SD API. If so, we may eventually implement a compatiblity layer for it. The fact is that Kopsis is such an insignificant player in this market that all we can do is wait to see which of the big boys can win the hearts and minds of developers and then try to adapt.

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

Oh, no. Not again...

OK, what's the deal with MatchBookDrive patenting their adaptor?
I was under the impression that Kopsis invented the interface, was I misinformed?

Does this mean that people can no longer make adaptors in their hobby rooms for sale?

http://www.visorcentral.com/page/0-2-868-2.htm

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

He's patenting the idea of making the connector short enough that the CF module fits entirely within the springboard. Personally I believe this fails the "obviousness" test, especially considering the discussion about shorter adaptors. He may also be patenting the idea of a clear case to ease insertion and the idea of his first "snap closed" design. Here he's probably on stronger ground, though someone else making a clear case can simply argue that their case is "ice" to match the Visor Deluxe back.

__________________
Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: Oh, no. Not again...

quote:

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Originally posted by Winchell
OK, what's the deal with MatchBookDrive patenting their adaptor?
I was under the impression that Kopsis invented the interface, was I misinformed?

Does this mean that people can no longer make adaptors in their hobby rooms for sale?

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

It looks as though this is the key langauge:

"...allows the CompactFlash to remain totally within the Springboard housing. I am beginning the patent process on two versions of this "micro" adapter, including one that still makes it easy for the CompactFlash card to be changed."

So I'm guessing the patented part is the enclosed part (not much sticking out) and the "easy" part.

Also, I'm not sure that building your own in a basement actually infringes upon a patent...

At any rate, I support Keith all the way, and it would probably be better to hear the explanation from him...

my (uninformed) .02.

Dieter

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

I need an explanation.. IT'S COMMON SENCE TO HAVE THE MODULE STICKING ALL THE WAY IN! in camera's it's done, en everything.. AND there are like 4 companies coming out with products.. THIS IS BAD FOR THE INDUSTRY. Keith, PLEASE explain yourself.. I want many good compactflash adapters on the market, it keeps the price down!

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-miradu

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Lawrence, NY, USA
Posts: 148

quote:

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Originally posted by miradu2000
I need an explanation.. IT'S COMMON SENSE TO HAVE THE MODULE STICKING ALL THE WAY IN! in camera's it's done, en everything.. AND there are like 4 companies coming out with products.. THIS IS BAD FOR THE INDUSTRY. Keith, PLEASE explain yourself.. I want many good compactflash adapters on the market, it keeps the price down!

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Life's just a blast, just it's moving really fast, and you'd <BR>better stay on top or life'll kick you in the ass -Limp Bizkit

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 99

I ordered one of the matchbook drives - but if he really wanted to make a useful improvement to the kopsis design he would incorporate their software into the housing somewhere so that it autoloads upon module insertion - that way it can be used as a backup module - even on total crash of the visor...

That would be worth patenting and charging for...

A clear snap together case? Please.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

I must agree, the quality of the matchbook drive seems a little weak to me. But it looks better that all others on the market, and I don't think that I'm going to be opening it up and closing it alot, so it would probably hold up.

BEN

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

FAFileMover + EyeModule JPEG Lib

Dave...

How how would it be to take the Free EyeModule JPEG Graphics Library and your FileMover software and make that Theoretical JPEG Viewer?

Scott

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: FAFileMover + EyeModule JPEG Lib

quote:

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Originally posted by GlucoPilot
Dave...

How how would it be to take the Free EyeModule JPEG Graphics Library and your FileMover software and make that Theoretical JPEG Viewer?

Scott

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I hate to say it, but I wasn't aware that there was a free EyeModule JPEG library. That might make whipping up a CF JPEG viewer a whole lot easier! Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 2

Why a patent filing?

In this day and age, intellectual property protection is crucial in commercial endeavors. If I did not patent my improvements to the flashadapter, and a deep pockets company decided to take out a patent, they could use their patent rights to knock me out of the market, even though I was building the adapter long before they came along. It can also protect against large overseas manufacturers making exact knock-offs of the Matchbook Drive
and selling them for far less than I can even produce
them. I welcome competition -- I just don't want someone telling me I can't sell the product I have worked so hard to bring to market, or using cheap offshore labor to compete against me using a design they stole from me.

The patent application road is a long and arduous (and expensive) one, and it will be 18 months to 2 years before I even know whether the Patent Office will accept any parts of my adapter improvements as patentable, and in no event would a patent stop a hobbyist from following Kopsis' instructions and building their own adapter. It is only my improvements to his design that I am entitled to protect, and that is all I am seeking to protect.

One benefit of having started the patent process is the possibility of attracting investment dollars to help develop more software to make the adapter useful. I think that is something we are all hoping for.

Keith Hudson
MatchBook Products LLC.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

Keith: with a product like this you're only going to get a sales window of six months to a year before someone produces an unequivocally better module (one with built-in flash to hold the FA software, for example). By the time you get your patent I strongly suspect you're not going to have anything left to protect.

__________________
Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: FAFileMover + EyeModule JPEG Lib

quote:

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Originally posted by GlucoPilot
Dave...

How how would it be to take the Free EyeModule JPEG Graphics Library and your FileMover software and make that Theoretical JPEG Viewer?

Scott

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Well, it turns out that the free EyeModule JPEG graphics library only does JPEG compression. The docs say that decompression (which is what you need to view JPEGs) might be added in the future. Bummer So much for my hopes of cranking out a CF JPEG viewer this afternoon.

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

Sorry Dave...I should have read farther....looks like it will be included soon though!

Scott

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

Keith- Great responce. When I first heard you were going for a patnet, I thought you were trying to stifle others.. (like amazon.. etc.. ) This is a great reason, so as long that SIMLIAR products can still be sold.. Thank you .

this was really short

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-miradu