Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 15:14:34 -0500
To: prism54-devel@prism54.org, prism54-users@prism54.org,
       Netdev <netdev@oss.sgi.com>, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org,
       Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>,
       Jean Tourrilhes <jt@bougret.hpl.hp.com>
Subject: Re: Open hardware wireless cards
Message-ID: <20050105201434.GB30311@csclub.uwaterloo.ca>
References: <20050105192447.GJ5159@ruslug.rutgers.edu> <20050105200526.GL5159@ruslug.rutgers.edu>
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From: lsorense@csclub.uwaterloo.ca (Lennart Sorensen)
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On Wed, Jan 05, 2005 at 03:05:26PM -0500, Luis R. Rodriguez wrote:
> I'd also like to add...
> 
> For those of you frustrated about our current wireless driver situation
> in open platforms --
> 
> I think we probably will have this trouble with most modern hardware for a while
> (graphics cards, wireless driver, etc). A lot of has to do with patent
> infringement issues, "intellectual property" protection, and other
> business-oriented excuses.
>
> What I think we probably will have to do is just work torwards seeing if
> we can come up with our own open wireless hardware. I know there was
> a recent thread on lkml about an open video card -- anyone know where
> that ended up?
> 
> If we can't come up with our own project to work on open hardware we can
> also just see if its feasible to purchase hardware companies on the
> verge of going backrupt and buy them out and release the specs/etc (a la
> blender). Can someone do the math here? I'm lazy.

Being open doesn't mean you aren't violating some stupid patent.
Software patents really are an incredibly stupid idea.  Algorithms are
pushing it.  After all what does the algorithm do on it's own?  Can you
show it working and doing something?

Len Sorensen
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