Re: [GnomeMeeting-list] PWC driver story continues.

[Johnny Strom <jonny strom netikka fi>]

Hi


Well this i becouse how FreeBSD is licensed, I prefer gpl/lgpl kind of
license becouse then one knows that the software will be around in the 
future.

George Bell wrote:
> Speaking of PWC again...
> I recently found this comparison between FreeBSD, Linux, and Windows Operating 
> Systems regarding drivers(among other factors) that I think is relevant to 
> the discussion that was on this list awhile ago concerning the PWC driver.  
> While I'm not a programmer either,  frankly I was not all that terribly 
> impressed with all the highly technical reasons for excluding the binary 
> component of the PWC driver from the kernel.  FreeBSD's attitude in this 
> regard appears to me much more balanced :
>
> From:   http://people.freebsd.org/~murray/bsd_flier.html
>
> FreeBSD:
> The FreeBSD bootloader can load binary drivers at boot-time. This allows 
> third-party driver manufacturers to distribute binary-only driver modules 
> that can be loaded into any FreeBSD system. Due to the open-source nature of 
> FreeBSD, it is very easy to develop device drivers for new hardware. 
> Unfortunately, most device-manufacturers will only release binaries for 
> Microsoft operating systems. This means that it can take several months after 
> a hardware device has hit the market until a device driver is available. 
> Linux:
> The Linux community intentionally makes it difficult for hardware 
> manufacturers to release binary-only drivers. This is meant to encourage 
> hardware manufactureres to develop open-source device drivers. Unfortunately 
> most vendors have been unwilling to release the source for their drivers so 
> it is very difficult for Linux users to use vendor supplied drivers at all.
>  Windows:
>  Microsoft has excellent relationships with hardware vendors. There are often 
> conflicts when using a device driver on different versions of Microsoft 
> Windows, but overall Windows users have excellent access to third party 
> device drivers
>  
> Sorry for being a bit off-topic and I don't mean to start any flames, but I 
> thought this brings some perspective to the issues that were discussed 
> earlier in this forum.  
>
> George
>
> On Tuesday 14 September 2004 12:18, Johnny Strom wrote:
>
> > Hello all
> >
> > Well things are starting to get to normal I hope with the PWC driver,
> > there is a first patch for PWC driver without binary interface avalible
> > here:
> >
> > http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0409.1/2135.html
> >
> >
> > Cheers Johnny
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>
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