Will we be able to combine 2.0 Visible light units for absentee with infrareadWe already are if you're talking about using Central Count for the absentees. CC firmware is already release level 2.
units at the polling place?
If you're talking about mixing different Precinct Count firmware versions, there are problems. One is a logistics problem of making sure that each unit gets an appropriately formatted memory card. Another is that, as far as I know, you can't change the Accu-Vote version in GEMS when it's in election mode and it has to be in election mode in order to download. This makes switching difficult and risks voiding memory cards already downloaded depending on the changes made outside of election mode.
Ideally GEMS would allow assigning an Accu-Vote version to each voting ctr and to each download port. Then each port would only download VCs for its version. Exactly how to do this would need to be thought through very carefully to avoid an overly complicated design. Of course version 2 is network based so it won't be using ports (consider CC). If this is important to someone, think it through and then post your proposal as an RCR titled something like "GEMS support for mixed AV versions".
BTW Steve, it would be better to post your questions to the support@ list because I may not be the person to ask. Since most of this is GEMS related, Ken and Tab are far more able to respond to this. What do you say Ken, am I reasonably on track with this?
Guy
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Guy Lancaster <glanca@gesn.com>
Global Election Systems Inc., Victoria, B.C., Canada
Phone: (250)995-8627