Message-ID: <20080415232531.dgnk5k66g4w4c44k@webmail.spamcop.net> (sfid-20080416_042536_806393_DABBC9DD)
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:25:31 -0400
From: Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org>
To: "Luis R. Rodriguez" <lrodriguez@atheros.com>
Cc: ath5k-devel@lists.ath5k.org,
	Linux Wireless <linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: [ath5k-devel] Atheros kernel support, joining the company
References: <480561DE.7020205@atheros.com>
In-Reply-To: <480561DE.7020205@atheros.com>
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Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org

Quoting "Luis R. Rodriguez" <lrodriguez@atheros.com>:

> Fellow ath5k hackers,
>
> Good news. I write to you to inform you that I have decided to join
> Atheros as a full time employee, as a Software Engineer, to help them
> with their goals and mission to get every device of Atheros supported
> upstream in the Linux kernel. I realize there are a lot of challenges
> ahead but I am well aware of the how the community works and the
> benefits of working with it and am confident we will find ways to
> strengthen the relationship between Atheros and the community. I also
> realize there are a lot of pending questions and perhaps even more now.
> Please rest assured we are doing what we can to work together as soon as
> possible.

It's terrific news!  Congratulations, Luis!!!

It's great for the kernel and for free software in general.  A major  
WiFi hardware vendor is embracing free software.

> I will keep maintaining compat-wireless and prism54 but I didn't get to
> finish the Marvell TopDog driver port from net80211 to mac80211. Hope
> someone is willing to take that over as I will be pretty busy with other
> work now.

I hope your example will encourage new developers, and your projects  
will be continued by others.

> I do plan on keeping on pushing the Central Regulatory Domain Agent work
> I had started. The db schema and a port of ar5k regulatory information
> to it can now be found here:
>
> http://winlab.rutgers.edu/~mcgrof/crda/

I think Atheros should really be interested in getting it right.   
After all, they have to certify their products for different markets.   
FCC regulations should not be used to keep the drivers closed.  The  
cat is out of the bag - it's time to teach it some rules, not to chase  
it around the house :-)

I hope Atheros will set a good example for other hardware vendors.   
Good luck at your new job!

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin