Per Jessen <per@computer.org> wrote: Bruce Marshall wrote:
On Wednesday 31 May 2006 09:58, Per Jessen wrote:
SUSE/Novell are not telling you not to use non-GPL code/modules, just that they're not shipping any with the distro.
Fine, but there doesn't seem to be a slamr module built for the SuSE kernel. At least not one that I can find.
I'm sure that's true. No need to tell you this, but then it's time pester the laptop manufacturer. Assuming they claim to suport Linux ... if not, it's time for a new supplier. I'm not quite sure what to say about this problem of non-GPLed drivers. I hesitate blaiming SUSE and lean towards just not buying such products. /Per Jessen, Z�rich -- The problem will prevent Suse (on any version of Linux that goes down this path) from ever becomming a mainstream Desktop OS. Vendors are not going to provide open source drives to their hardware if it means revealing trade secrets. Suse would have to increase their development staff to write generic drivers for non-open source drivers, or Linux would have to be changed so that users could install drivers from vendors without having to go through complex Kernel rebuilds (dlls, loadable modules, etc.). But of course, vendors would have to be convinced that it was in their intrest to create and circulate Linux Driver disc that would work in this way. The problem with not buying products lacking open-source drivers is that you will eliminate a large number (most) of the options for the user to buy. I was hoping to put Suse 10.1 on my IBM T41 laptop, but with the lack of hardware support for the modem, I'll have to pass.