The bird had the right idea!

I installed the software for the IRIScan Express and was not surprised to see that it isn't TWAIN compliant. However, the ReadIRIS software that comes with it DOES use TWAIN compliant scanners if they exist. In poking around, I see that the software opens up a bundle specifically for the scanner. (I used a tool called opensnoop to see what the app was opening.)

 501   1867 Readiris       6 /Library/Application Support/IRISScan/IRISScan 1.6.bundle 
  501   1867 Readiris       6 /Library/Application Support/IRISScan/IRISScan 1.6.bundle/Contents 
  501   1867 Readiris       6 /dev/autofs_nowait   
  501   1867 Readiris       7 /Library/Application Support/IRISScan/IRISScan 1.6.bundle/Contents/Info.plist 

TWAIN drivers live in /Library/Image Capture/TWAIN Data Sources. It doesn't look like the IRIScan folks did the right thing and create a TWAIN driver. Instead they created their own system for talking to the scanner. The scanner is a Plustek scanner (according to USB Prober). I haven't found Plustek drivers, yet, but will keep searching.

So, the IRIScan scanners won't work with ReceiptWallet. Piece of crap scanner. I've sent email to them asked where the TWAIN drivers are as the sales guy told me it was TWAIN compliant and how can I return the scanner. I'm sure I'll get a great response to my message.

I should have heeded the advice of the bird and returned the scanner while I still had the chance and before I left the show. Anyone have a need for a paperweight? Their software is so awful that I wouldn't even think of using it.

A sign from the heavens?

I went ahead and purchased the IRIScan Express 2 scanner today to give it a whirl. When I handed the guy my credit card, he started to write down my name on an order form and was about to write down my credit card info when I asked if he'd take cash. He said, "Yes", so I handed him $100. I wasn't about to have a company write down my credit card number and have it potentially lost who knows where. In this case, I trust electronic transfers of my information rather than paper as the commotion of a tradeshow could easily cause them to lose the piece of paper.

Anyway, I was walking between the show halls and luckily zigged as a bird that came out of nowhere decided to poop. The poop landed within about 3 feet of the bag I was carrying the IRIScan. If the poop landed on the scanner, it definitely would have been a sign about the scanner. I'm still reserving judgement until I get a chance to crack open the box and see if it has a TWAIN driver.

Zig-Zagging Through San Francisco

One of my problems with traveling is that I eat out all the time and become a bump on a log. This negatively affects me and I hate it. This morning, I decided to take a stroll through San Francisco to get my heart going. One of my former co-workers said that the way to walk in San Francisco is to zig zag so that you don't have to wait at the lights. This is great if you have no place to be, like me this morning.

Sending the "big guns" to Macworld

Sprint had a booth at Macworld showing their modems and how fast their EVDO network is. I love EVDO and thought it was cool that they care about the Mac market. Well, I was a bit wrong. I asked one of the guys there if the modems support LBS. He didn't know what LBS was; LBS, Location Based Services, came up as the second link in my Google search, so it isn't too obscure. When I said what the acronym stood for, he said yes and showed me the Novatel modem which had it. I looked at the guy's name tag and it said "Retail Sales Consultant". So it looks like Sprint sent people from the local store to man the booth. Are Mac users not good enough to get people from Sprint corporate? While I'm ranting about Sprint, I saw their new connection manager software. It is worse than the "Delicious Generation" type UI. It is a UI that is completely un-Mac-like and is in your face, not just a little menu bar thingy.