Ping Kurt Garloff: non-GPL Kernel Modules, some good news?
I raised this point at the IRC Meeting last night and was asked if I could take it to the open-factory list and ask Kurt Garloff if he has any information on this subject. What is required: We need some "positive spin" on the situation. Is it possible to have an update on this change, giving some information on which commercial partners are supporting this change and actively working to produce userspace binaries or OSS drivers? Obviously if some of the work is done under NDA's information will be limited, but information on the number of suppliers actively working on solutions and some key names if possible (like nVidia, ATi, Intel etc.) would be helpful and quell a lot of the speculation that is currently going on in the lists. What is *NOT* required: More flaming, bad mouthing or generally spreading FUD! We already have had 2-3 discussions on the negative side of the change. Please do not add this thread to the list, if you have something generally negative to say about the change, please use the existing threads. Background: The removal of the binary Kernel modules has, so far, been poorly communicated to end-users. There is little or no information forthcoming on how this will directly affect end users and what alternatives are being put in place to mitigate the change. On the negative side, we have had people like the AVM developers in the press and coming onto the list, raising more doubt and uncertainty by stating this is forcing them to abandon development/support for Linux drivers - this although there are several alternatives available, including open-sourcing parts of the driver and/or moving to userspace for the binary only drivers/parts that can't be open sourced. The problem is, users are used to installing SUSE Linux and ending up with a working system with little or no work required (E.g. checking a button during the initial YOU update to enable dual-head and 3D support on their nVidia cards, and NIC's and modems working from the get-go so that they can download updates, patches and any additional drivers) and they want re-assurances that they will be able to continue to upgrade to newer versions of SUSE Linux and their PC's will still work... Dave -- "I got to go figure," the tenant said. "We all got to figure. There's some way to stop this. It's not like lightning or earthquakes. We've got a bad thing made by men, and by God that's something we can change." - The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
David Wright schrieb:
I raised this point at the IRC Meeting last night and was asked if I could take it to the open-factory list and ask Kurt Garloff if he has any information on this subject.
What is required: We need some "positive spin" on the situation.
AFAIK there is already some work underway. Expect some news in the next few days. Regards, Carl-Daniel -- http://www.hailfinger.org/
Samsung made the OneNAND-flashdriver open-source so that it can be inside the kernel. That is positive news that was on the newssite I saw this evening :-D
participants (3)
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Azerion
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Carl-Daniel Hailfinger
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David Wright