Messages in this thread | | | Date | Wed, 10 Mar 2004 12:26:21 -0500 | From | Jeff Garzik <> | Subject | Re: [Announce] Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 802.11b driver |
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Timothy Miller wrote: > > > Jeff Garzik wrote: > >> vda wrote: >> >>> *FLAME ALERT* >>> /me is slowly getting mad about his prism54 11g hardware >>> and its firmware, with neither firmware authors nor documentation >>> for this pile of silicon crap nowhere in sight >>> >>> What's so cool about having binary firmware? Bugs are bugs, >>> and you won't be able to even see bugs, less fix, in it. >>> I don't like being at the mercy of firmware authors. >> >> >> >> >> Well that's typical in wireless, unfortunately. Certain parts of >> wireless are political tennis balls with the US govt. and FCC. >> Sometimes "put it in firmware" is the only way get ever get open >> source drivers at all :/ >> >> I'll pick firmware over no-driver any day. >> > > > Hmmm... As you may know, I'm a chip designer... > > Are there not open specs on the wireless protocols? Could we not design > our own open-source wireless network hardware? What would the US > government have to say about an open-source implementation? Are there > patents which would impede us?
These are honest questions, but with all due respect, I would rather not dive further into the mess :)
Jeff
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