[ltp] Re: Linux on the T20
Keith Frechette
linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com
Tue, 28 Nov 2000 12:50:36 -0500
This is a multipart message in MIME format.
--=_alternative 00620F4C852569A5_=
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
George Staikos wrote:
> Realtime can be done in userspace. Furthermore, if they would use a
> two-part model, the framework could be made very portable across kernel
> versions, if not included in the standard kernel itself. I am stuck
without
> the driver right now because I am using 2.2.17. This is 100% the fault
of
> the driver developer, who has not followed kernel development
guidelines. In
> the _worst_ case, there is the option which is done by Olicom. Create
an
> opensource driver and then bundle with it closed source .o files
containing
> the patented/trade secret code. There is no reason to be making this
driver
> closed source.
>
> Infact, there is the 100% opensource driver being developed in
Europe. It
> already can talk to the winmodem. Why keep this stuff closed source? It
> just doesn't make sense... It gives everyone problems and does no good.
George,
You may have missed an earlier note of mine, in which I stated that Lucent
has re-worked their driver such that it is comprised of a ".o" file
(containing all their intellectual property), a Linux-specific portion in
source form, and a script for building and installing the driver. This
addresses the problem of building for different kernels. It is that
version of the driver that we've included in our ThinkPad Linux preloads
(including the source code) and which we are trying to get posted to our
web site. Lucent has decided not to post the driver on their site, but
rather to make the code available only to system OEM's (e.g. IBM, Toshiba,
Compaq, etc.).
Regarding your question on why Lucent (or some other modem chip vendor)
would not totally open source their software-modem code, here are a couple
of reasons.
1. While modem protocols may be publicly defined via standards, some
aspects of modem performance are not covered, such as adapting to varied
line conditions. Companies such as Lucent, 3Com, and IBM (remember the ol'
ACP/Mwave modem?) have spent millions of dollars on field research in
order to fine-tune their products to even the most diverse line
conditions. These fine-tuning details are a tremendous source of
intellectual property among modem vendors since the effects of the
fine-tuning can help in product differentiation (e.g. modem A maintains a
47Kbps connection in a location with degraded lines, while modem B can
only connect at 33.6Kbps).
2. Modem vendors may have licensed intellectual property from other
companies and integrated it into their products. The owner of the licensed
IP may not permit it to be exposed, since it is a source of revenue for
them. This would prevent the modem vendor from open-sourcing any code that
would expose the licensed intellectual property.
The reasons for not open-sourcing a modem driver generally relate to
"business case", in which releasing the source code could negatively
impact revenues.
-- Keith
Keith Frechette
Linux Development Lead, Mobile Computing Options and Software Development
IBM Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
kfrechet@us.ibm.com / 919-543-3761 / TieLine:441-3761
--=_alternative 00620F4C852569A5_=
Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">George Staikos wrote:<br>
></font><font size=2><tt> Realtime can be done in userspace. Furthermore, if they would use a<br>
> two-part model, the framework could be made very portable across kernel<br>
> versions, if not included in the standard kernel itself. I am stuck without<br>
> the driver right now because I am using 2.2.17. This is 100% the fault of<br>
> the driver developer, who has not followed kernel development guidelines. In<br>
> the _worst_ case, there is the option which is done by Olicom. Create an<br>
> opensource driver and then bundle with it closed source .o files containing<br>
> the patented/trade secret code. There is no reason to be making this driver<br>
> closed source.<br>
></tt></font>
<br><font size=2><tt>> Infact, there is the 100% opensource driver being developed in Europe. It<br>
> already can talk to the winmodem. Why keep this stuff closed source? It<br>
> just doesn't make sense... It gives everyone problems and does no good.</tt></font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">George,</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">You may have missed an earlier note of mine, in which I stated that Lucent has re-worked their driver such that it is comprised of a ".o" file (containing all their intellectual property), a Linux-specific portion in source form, and a script for building and installing the driver. This addresses the problem of building for different kernels. It is that version of the driver that we've included in our ThinkPad Linux preloads (including the source code) and which we are trying to get posted to our web site. Lucent has decided not to post the driver on their site, but rather to make the code available only to system OEM's (e.g. IBM, Toshiba, Compaq, etc.).</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Regarding your question on why Lucent (or some other modem chip vendor) would not totally open source their software-modem code, here are a couple of reasons.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">1. While modem protocols may be publicly defined via standards, some aspects of modem performance are not covered, such as adapting to varied line conditions. Companies such as Lucent, 3Com, and IBM (remember the ol' ACP/Mwave modem?) have spent millions of dollars on field research in order to fine-tune their products to even the most diverse line conditions. These fine-tuning details are a tremendous source of intellectual property among modem vendors since the effects of the fine-tuning can help in product differentiation (e.g. modem A maintains a 47Kbps connection in a location with degraded lines, while modem B can only connect at 33.6Kbps).</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">2. Modem vendors may have licensed intellectual property from other companies and integrated it into their products. The owner of the licensed IP may not permit it to be exposed, since it is a source of revenue for them. This would prevent the modem vendor from open-sourcing any code that would expose the licensed intellectual property.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">The reasons for not open-sourcing a modem driver generally relate to "business case", in which releasing the source code could negatively impact revenues.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">-- Keith</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Keith Frechette<br>
Linux Development Lead, Mobile Computing Options and Software Development<br>
IBM Research Triangle Park, North Carolina<br>
kfrechet@us.ibm.com / 919-543-3761 / TieLine:441-3761<br>
</font>
--=_alternative 00620F4C852569A5_=--
----- The Linux ThinkPad mailing list -----
The linux-thinkpad mailing list home page is at:
http://www.bm-soft.com/~bm/tp_mailing.html