[Leaplist] brilliant

[William Warren]

I am not willing to sacrifice the GPL for the expediency of Linux 
hardware support.  With the DMCA and Vista's new full system encryption 
requirements open-source hardware is going to be problematic.
I have a link to an audio interview with Peter Gutmann about this very 
subject.  There's also a link to his research paper on this as well in 
terms of open source hardware support in the Vista era.

http://www.hescominsoon.com/wp/archives/748

This is going to affect all hardware.

Fred Moore wrote:
> On Wednesday 31 January 2007 21:57, John Simpson wrote:
>> On 2007-01-31, at 1653, Fred Moore wrote:
>>> Checkout the offer the kernal guys have give to all linux hardware
>>> manufactures...
>>> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070131081243482
>>>
>>> The jist is they will write their drivers for them.. this is
>>> brilliant.. Looks
>>> like most companies now now only say.. ok or no we only support
>>> windows..
>> i'd like to see the details of this part:
>>
>> "If your company is worried about NDA issues surrounding your
>> device's specifications, we have arranged a program with OSDL/TLF's
>> Tech Board to provide the legal framework where a company can
>> interact with a member of the kernel community in order to properly
>> assure that all needed NDA requirements are fulfilled."
>>
>> or how a company which insists on keeping their specs hidden would be
>> able to prevent a GPL kernel driver from being reverse-engineered by
>> their enemies (whether that be their competitors, their users, the
>> anti-trust investigators, or whoever it is they don't want figuring
>> out how their hardware works.)
>>
> 
> I think the entire offer is to enduce some hardware vendors to release 
> specification in order to take advantage of additional revenue from new 
> operating system support.   I think most driver stuff is overhiped.  Any 
> engineer worth his salt can determine what chips are used.  If custom 
> software is involved in an asic or whatever component its operation can be 
> determined by a data scope or some other means.  I further suspect that many 
> vendors may release the specifications of older devices.  Get the open source 
> for the old driver then be able to offer non-open source drivers for newer 
> products based upon code of older stuff..  and yes I know this would be a 
> violation of the GPL..  In my mind what  is important is that the drivers get 
> written..  Till we have drivers for the latest hardware linux will always be 
> behind the curve... Fred
> 
> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> | John M. Simpson    ---   KG4ZOW   ---    Programmer At Large |
>> | http://www.jms1.net/                         <jms1 at jms1.net> |
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> | http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198 |
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
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-- 
My "Foundation" verse:
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and 
every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt 
condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their 
righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

-- carpe ductum -- "Grab the tape"
CDTT (Certified Duct Tape Technician)

Linux user #322099
Machines:
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