Re: What is the most popular platform?

Mike A. Harris (mharris@ican.net)
Wed, 13 Jan 1999 03:52:14 -0500 (EST)

On Mon, 11 Jan 1999, Jacob Hawley wrote:

>I am trying to determine the most popular platform for Linux. Specifically,
>what version is the most common (4.5?). I have seen a couple of versions at the
>retail shelf and I am trying to target one particular version for a driver
>release.
>
>Please mail jacob_hawley@msn.com if you have an opinion you would like to
>express.
>
>Thanks
>Jacob Hawley
>Sr. Manager, Custom Engineering
>Creative Labs, Inc.
>www.soundblaster.com

Linux 4.5 is mega old. The current Linux is version 7.8, but
most people still use 7.46 because it is the most stable. I
suggest that you get 7.46. Your best bet is to get in on a
preinstalled Acer system. They seem to make the best systems
nowadays, and IMHO they do a good job of installing Linux ready
to go.

Well, good luck with your driver. Oh, BTW, make sure you don't
let any code secrets out when writing your driver, and don't
release the source code. If you do, then all of Creative labs
wonderful technology wont be the only "Blaster" technology out
there. Soon they'll be linux blaster computers by Corel, and
gnublaster stuff. Make sure that everyone signs NDA's if you
give out any info or source. This practice is widely accepted in
the Linux community as the "right way" of doing things.

One other tip, Linux people don't like all of the free open-spec
crap hardware on the net. They'd rather have high quality
drivers written by the company that produces the hardware (after
all they make the hardware, they should know how to write the
best drivers right?). Most Linux users are willing to pay lots
of money for this quality assurance. Look at OSS sound
drivers for example. I'd gladly pay $50 for them.

Letting the source code out though, is more than likely to get
one of the core kernel developers to clean room the code and
integrate it into the next kernel (Which is coming soon - version
7.9 of course - as you're aware, since you probably read this
list a lot.)

Well, good luck. See you on the aol chatrooms.

TTYL
me too!

--
Mike A. Harris  -  Computer Consultant  -  Linux advocate


Linux software galore:  http://freshmeat.net




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