Ivar makes some good points here
but I’m opting to reply more fully on my blog as this looks like a potentially
dangerous topic for the list!
Kind regards
Mick
Mick Fortune
m. +44 (0)7786
625544 t. +44
(0)1865 727411
From: Discussion List for RFID in Libraries
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ivar Thyssen
Sent: 23 May 2009 20:45
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Are RFID suppliers becoming protectionist?
Dear Librarians,
An interesting issue! In P.V. Supa we have previously discussed the
issue and from our point of view it is legal to read the data model provided by
other suppliers, as it cannot be infringing any copyrights when just reading
it.
P.V. Supa is able to read any data model on the market and we have
previously been in situations where the original supplier refused to
co-operate, but in the end the library got the solution they wanted and several
years later the old supplier was kicked out (now they have left the market
totally).
Many libraries risk ending in a situation as described by Mr.
Fortune, as they went for suppliers, who think more about their short-term
profit than the long-term benefit of the library (and consequently the
supplier). The only way to get out of it is,
It is very important that uncooperative suppliers are weeded as we,
suppliers, are paid by tax-payers money and this kind of money shall be used
with highest respect by all citizens.
Best regards
P.V. Supa Oy Ltd.
Ivar Thyssen
Export manager
From: Discussion List for RFID in Libraries
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mick Fortune
Sent: 22. maj 2009 13:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Are RFID suppliers becoming protectionist?
Dear subscribers
Very disappointed to receive an email from a long-standing
university user of RFID this morning. They were hoping to buy a sorter from a
different company to that which had supplied their self-service solution. They
have now been told that permission to read existing RFID tags has been denied
by the incumbent supplier.
We all know that each company currently uses its own data
model – making it difficult to pick and choose RFID equipment from different suppliers – but until
now there was at least the possibility of having one supplier write
software to read another’s tags. Or alternatively to re-program
existing tags.
In the long run of course this approach
will become unwieldy with constant re-writes or re-programming operations.
That’s what makes the adoption of a common standard and a common profile
so important. Today’s news suggests that at least one (major) supplier
may have decided to hold on to their market by effectively making it illegal to
read their tag data model. What this means in the long term is difficult to
assess.
Has any other organisation suffered from
this problem I wonder?
Mick
Mick Fortune
m. +44 (0)7786
625544 t. +44
(0)1865 727411
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