Re: [Announce] Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 802.11b driver

[Jeff Garzik]

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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