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FLOSS drivers are not a problem. The hardware vendors are the problem

Posted Jan 26, 2007 18:30 UTC (Fri) by bronson (subscriber, #4806)
In reply to: FLOSS drivers are not a problem. The hardware vendors are the problem by dwheeler
Parent article: A report from the Linux wireless developers meeting

The FCC also doesn't actually permit them. There are a number of rules that may imply that open source drivers are forbidden, or they may not. It will be up to a court to rule.

... and not a single vendor wants to be on the wrong side of that decision. So, for them, it's best to err on the side of caution.

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Posted Jan 27, 2007 0:12 UTC (Sat) by i3839 (subscriber, #31386) [Link]

Binaries are the same as source code, except slightly harder to read and modify. I don't see how you can forbid one without the other in all fairness.

FLOSS drivers are not a problem. The hardware vendors are the problem

Posted Feb 1, 2007 17:41 UTC (Thu) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]

Let's be clear: no manufacturer actually forbids open source drivers. They just refuse to provide open drivers themselves. Why? Because that would be instant culpability if the FCC decides to interpret the currently ambiguous rules in a very unfriendly manner.

So, instead of opening themselves up to that risk, they simply do nothing. It's a terrible state of affairs. I wish I knew of something that would kock this logjam loose.