[Linux-aus] Linux Kernel Devs Offer Free Driver Development

[Phil Hill]

The notice below can be found at this Slashdot link:
http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/30/044203
<http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/30/044203&from=rss>
&from=rss

 

 

It is a most welcome announcement as I see it as the ongoing lack of drivers
for various products is still a massive impediment to the spread of Linux on
the desktop.  Canon is a perfect example of a company who continuously send
out bland statements to customers stating that they have no plans to support
Linux with drivers. Hopefully now something like this may encourage Canon
and other companies like them to possibly change their minds and actually
offer some of that supposed SUPPORT to their customers.

 

It is most uplifting to see something positive with relation to Linux Driver
Development.

 

 

"Linux Kernel hacker Greg Kroah-Hartman, author of Linux Kernel in
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596100797/index.html>  a Nutshell has
posted an epic announcement
<http://www.kroah.com/log/2007/01/29/#free_drivers>  on his blog. This could
portend increased device compatibility for Linux users, higher-quality
drivers, and fewer non-free binary blobs." From the announcement: "[T]he
Linux kernel community is offering all companies free Linux driver
development... All that is needed is some kind of specification that
describes how your device works, or the email address of an engineer that is
willing to answer questions every once in a while. If your company is
worried about NDA issues surrounding your device's specifications, we have
arranged a program... in order to properly assure that all needed NDA
requirements are fulfilled. Now your developers will have more time to work
on drivers for all of the other operating systems out there, and you can add
'supported on Linux' to your product's marketing material."

 

. Phil

 

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