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Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

yes-we-scan.app

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Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#21

Post by ValdikSS »

ironhaven wrote: post #14
ValdikSS wrote: post #4

It's a great concept, but you haven't open-sourced the previous code, as the license requires, and you're yet again apologizing in this project as well, without any code. Pretty sure you have my code in both projects. I contribute first and foremost to make printers and scanners to work reliably, but also keeping in mind the idea that I could at least try to apply legal actions for companies which violate the license…

If you just install CUPS in a virtual machine (emulated in wasm on the web) what patches do you need to share?

See above, that's my mistake.

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#22

Post by woolion »

gmac wrote: post #17
ValdikSS wrote: post #4

It's a great concept, but you haven't open-sourced the previous code, as the license requires, and you're yet again apologizing in this project as well, without any code. Pretty sure you have my code in both projects. I contribute first and foremost to make printers and scanners to work reliably, but also keeping in mind the idea that I could at least try to apply legal actions for companies which violate the license…

If you think I’ve done something wrong according to the licences involved here, please do clarify. I had understood that open-sourcing the Linux stuff (as branches of a fork of v86, linked from the /credits page) met all relevant legal obligations, which I absolutely intend to do. More broadly, it’s unusual for me not to make everything open, and I do feel bad/conflicted about it. But, unusually, I feel like I have i…

If monetization is at odds with open-source, why wouldn't potential customers just wouldn't go to VueScan, as someone posted? I was recently looking at scanners, and saw some brands directly advertise Linux support through this... which means you now have to pay subscription each year to access the expensive hardware you bought.

Thankfully the Avision FB5100 states native Linux support (AFAIK, this is the only flatbed A3 scanner that does), so I'm certainly going to buy this one. I know implementing device support for companies that don't make any effort is hard and thankless, but then we need to divest/invest in the right companies and solutions.

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#23

Post by IdiotSavage »

With AirSane [1], you can make scanners integrate nicely with macOS. This page [2] has a writeup (in German) how to set it up on a RaspberryPi. On non-macOS devices you can still use the web interface, as demonstrated by the "yes-we-scan" app.

[1] https://github.com/SimulPiscator/AirSane

[2] https://archive.ph/1D2EQ

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#24

Post by ValdikSS »

woolion wrote: post #22
gmac wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you think I’ve done something wrong according to the licences involved here, please do clarify. I had understood that open-sourcing the Linux stuff (as branches of a fork of v86, linked from the /credits page) met all relevant legal obligations, which I absolutely intend to do. More broadly, it’s unusual for me not to make everything open, and I do feel bad/conflicted about it. But, unusually, I feel like I have i…

If monetization is at odds with open-source, why wouldn't potential customers just wouldn't go to VueScan, as someone posted? I was recently looking at scanners, and saw some brands directly advertise Linux support through this... which means you now have to pay subscription each year to access the expensive hardware you bought. Thankfully the Avision FB5100 states native Linux support (AFAIK, this is the only flatbe…

Any airprint/mopria certified devices don't need drivers to work on Linux, Windows, Android or macOS.

https://mfi.apple.com/account/airprint-search

https://mopria.org/certified-products

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#25

Post by keepamovin »

Such a cool project. I love seeing what the web platform can do and particularly like the hardware integration capabilities of these type of APIs. I remember playing with a Web USB ADS-B scanner that plugs into your SDR.

Interestingly, it was better executed than many of the downloadable native apps.

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#26

Post by hard_times »

The idea of emulating a lightweight Alpine Linux in the browser to make this work, without overengineering don't-know-what custom niche solution is definitely intriguing.

I wonder how much work would it be to port a given Linux USB driver to WASM alone?

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#27

Post by brnt »

I've plugged in many a scanner (or printer) into my Linux machines, and they always just werk. Which this project probably makes use of: SANE. I think there's even a project porting SANE to Windows (because that's I guess what this is aimed at: scanners that never got a WHQL driver).

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#29

Post by winkelmann »

FYI, if the goal is just to use something like an old Canon LiDE scanner (pretty common/cheap devices with no more driver support) on macOS: SANE runs natively and works great: https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/sane-backends (comes with `scanimage` CLI tool).

Re: Reviving old scanners with an in-browser Linux VM bridged to WebUSB over USB/IP

#30

Post by stuaxo »

ValdikSS wrote: post #20
gmac wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you think I’ve done something wrong according to the licences involved here, please do clarify. I had understood that open-sourcing the Linux stuff (as branches of a fork of v86, linked from the /credits page) met all relevant legal obligations, which I absolutely intend to do. More broadly, it’s unusual for me not to make everything open, and I do feel bad/conflicted about it. But, unusually, I feel like I have i…

Sorry, it's me who needs a reading comprehension lessons. I've read back in printervention website and now again that you didn't open the code that you HAVE to. Because you're apologizing for that, I assumed that you're breaking the license, twice. After rereading both of your websites again, I should say you've nothing wrong! It's sleepy me who accused you for nothing, sorry. Linux printing and scanning stack is hel…

OT: But in a way kind of good to know.

Ages ago I got a Canon A3 printer. I've never been sure if it worked properly, as I was never sure if the colours are right.

Next time I unpack it I'll have to try and find the place the 5 enthusiasts hang out - the cups mailing list ?

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