[ANNOUNCE] ModemManager (for GSM and CDMA)

["Tambet Ingo" <tambet gmail com>]

Announcing ModemManager.
It's a standalone DBus system service to provide a common API to
communicate with broadband modems. It is derived from the modem
handling code from NetworkManager and in addition to DBus API, it adds
more operations (scanning, signal quality, changing network mode,
band, ...). It is easy to extend by having a plugin system to provide
"drivers" for non standard operations. There is currently one plugin
implemented for Huawei cards. It's fully functional and can be used as
an example to write plugins for other cards (hint! hint!).

Some Q&A

Q: Where can I get it?
A: git clone git://gitorious.org/modemmanager/mainline.git modemmanager

Q: What does it have to do with NetworkManager?
A: NetworkManager will use ModemManager instead of current basic code
in the future.

Q: Can I see it in action?
A: Yes! I've ported NM to use it already, but haven't exposed any of
the new functionality in the UI. The fully working branch can be
downloaded from the NetworkManager SVN branch:

svn co svn+ssh://$USERNAME svn gnome org/svn/NetworkManager/branches/modem-manager
NetworkManager-mm

[or using anonymous svn]
svn co http://svn.gnome.org/svn/NetworkManage/branches/modem-manager
NetworkManager-mm

Q: Why?
A: There have been some requests to integrate some existing mobile
programs with NM (vodafone, telefonica) and it's never been easier:
All that needs to happen is to implement the same public DBus API and
NM will use that instead.
A2: The current modem handling code in NM is very basic, and
supporting non standard operations and cards is pretty much impossible
without total reorganization. Well, ModemManager is the
reorganization.

Q: You lied, it doesn't support signal monitoring while connected!
A: No, it just means it's a non standard feature and needs a card
specific plugin which isn't written for your card yet.

Q: Is there any documentation available for it?
A: Yes, pass a --with-docs argument to the configure and it'll create
docs/spec.html which is the DBus API reference. There's also some
information in the README file.

Q: Can I write a plugin for my own card?
A: Yes! Take a look at plugins/ directory to see the Huawei plugin, it
should be pretty easy to write new ones based on that.

Q: I think I've found a bug.
A: Great! let me (tambet /at/ gmail.com for now) know. Extra points if
you can provide a patch!

Q: You API sucks!
A: If there's something you'd like to change, either to add new
methods or to modify the existing ones, let me know, it's not set in
the stone.

Tambet