Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S262744AbUCJS0a (ORCPT ); Wed, 10 Mar 2004 13:26:30 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S262751AbUCJS0a (ORCPT ); Wed, 10 Mar 2004 13:26:30 -0500 Received: from palrel12.hp.com ([156.153.255.237]:18853 "EHLO palrel12.hp.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S262744AbUCJSZQ (ORCPT ); Wed, 10 Mar 2004 13:25:16 -0500 Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 10:25:14 -0800 To: Linux kernel mailing list Subject: Re: Re: [Announce] Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 802.11b driver Message-ID: <20040310182514.GA10175@bougret.hpl.hp.com> Reply-To: jt@hpl.hp.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.28i Organisation: HP Labs Palo Alto Address: HP Labs, 1U-17, 1501 Page Mill road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. E-mail: jt@hpl.hp.com From: Jean Tourrilhes Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 935 Lines: 28 Timothy Miller wrote : > > What would the US government have to say about an open-source > implementation? The transmission of radio waves (any frequency, any device) is highly regulated (FCC in US, ETSI in Europe, ...). The US governement can't stop you from building it, but can legally prevent you to use it and to distribute/sell it. Otherwise, why do you think the Ham people would bother learning morse code ? > Are there patents which would impede us? Yep, some fundamental parts of 802.11 are covered with patents. Patent search cost money, so you are on your own... In 10 years, all the patents on basic 802.11 will have expired, so you can just wait. Good luck... Jean - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/