The battle for wireless network drivers Written by Jem Matzan Dec 20, 2006 at 08:52 PM "BSD and Linux programmers have had a lot of success in creating drivers for new computer hardware in a timely manner, but much of their effort has been without the support of major hardware manufacturers. Intel, Marvell, Texas Instruments and Broadcom, though separate and competing entities, seem by one consent to prevent non-Microsoft operating systems from working properly with some of their most widely-used network chips."
Read the full story http://www.thejemreport.com/mambo/content/view/293
It is a bit long but really worth it. The author has interviewed many of the wireless chip manufactures and gives an insight into the issues surrounding wireless card drivers for Free and Open Source Operating Systems. He suggests the main issue is the lack of communication between the developers and the manufacturers. Take this into account when you buy a new wireless network card and support the companies which provides specifications and documentation to the Free and Open Source Operating Systems developers.
Cheers Praveen PS: Sorry for cross-posting
On Friday 22 December 2006 12:33, പ്രവീണ്|Praveen wrote:
The battle for wireless network drivers Written by Jem Matzan Dec 20, 2006 at 08:52 PM "BSD and Linux programmers have had a lot of success in creating drivers for new computer hardware in a timely manner,
Speaking of network cards imagine my shock when i opened a dlink 520tx box today and found a printed copy of the GNU GPL with a product. My my how well the legal clu stick works. This is the same company which refused to disclose the sourcecode in it's adsl and wifi modems before getting plastered by Harold Welte.
On Friday 22 December 2006 13:40, jtd wrote:
Speaking of network cards imagine my shock when i opened a dlink 520tx box today and found a printed copy of the GNU GPL with a product. My my how well the legal clu stick works. This is the same company which refused to disclose the sourcecode in it's adsl and wifi modems before getting plastered by Harold Welte.
yup. now several of their products using / providing Linux drivers have that notice in there. Also, Samsung has started to print the Linux "penguin" along side windows logo to show Linux compatibility with its devices. Might I mention samsung has done a marvelous job of providing drivers and GUI installers for the supporting software for many of its IT products.
On 12/22/06, jtd jtd@mtnl.net.in wrote:
Speaking of network cards imagine my shock when i opened a dlink 520tx box today and found a printed copy of the GNU GPL with a product. My my how well the legal clu stick works. This is the same company which refused to disclose the sourcecode in it's adsl and wifi modems before getting plastered by Harold Welte.
I believe the best to counter this condescending behavior of the wireless card vendors (or any other Hardware manufacturer) to Microsoft is to vote with your money and encourage your friends and family to do the same. As tech experts (or the go-to tech guys), many people on this list have the power to influence to purchase of hardware products of their circle of friends and family. The effect is multiplied several-fold if you are purchasing for a corporate entity.
Also let the hardware vendor know why you are not buying an incompatible hardware part. Believe me it works. If enough people complain, the message does go through the vendors eventually to the manufacturers. No wonder Dlink and Samsung are complying (or even attracting) Linux users.
-- Vinayak
On Monday 25 December 2006 21:45, Vinayak Hegde wrote:
Also let the hardware vendor know why you are not buying an incompatible hardware part. Believe me it works. If enough people complain, the message does go through the vendors eventually to the manufacturers. No wonder Dlink and Samsung are complying (or even attracting) Linux users.
Exactly, this is what I do everytime I want to buy anything new. Originally, my supplier had NO IDEA what Linux was and over the past 2-3 years that I have been insisting on Linux compatible hardware he has learnt a lot about it. And believe me, many of his clients ( corporate ) have now started to insist on Linux compatible hardware so the message is getting through to even the local vendors and eventually to the big companies ;).
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Dinesh Joshi -
jtd -
Vinayak Hegde -
പ്രവീണ്|Praveen