On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 10:47:31AM -0400, Eric Furman wrote: | Who can we write to at atheros to tell them I will never | ever purchase one of their products?
Maybe it's better to write a polite e-mail explaining the situation wrt documentation vs source code (even if it is ISC licensed). This is quite a big step, Atheros has made, asking them to finish through (with proper documentation, released without NDA's) might make more sense. If they refuse you can always explain that that would mean never buying their hardware, including recommending other people not to buy it. Remember to be polite and explain the situation carefully. Lots of companies think that shipping "open source drivers" is the epitome of being the good guys (and with all the linux people screaming in ecstacy about this release, it is even harder to explain this). Care must be taken to explain it properly and thoroughly - large companies learn slowly. Very slowly. (and some never learn) Cheers, Paul 'WEiRD' de Weerd | On Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:18:34 -0500, "Jacob Yocom-Piatt" | <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: | > Reyk Floeter wrote: | > > On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 09:28:10AM -0500, Marco Peereboom wrote: | > > | > >> I threw my git saving throw so I was able to avoid looking at it. | > >> | > >> | > > | > > There is a version in the OpenWRT tree: | > > https://dev.openwrt.org/cgi-bin/trac.fcgi/browser/trunk/package/ath9k/src/drivers/net/wireless/ath9k | > > | > > The following thread also carries some information: | > > http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/18019 | > > | > > Actually, I'm confused. It carries an ISC license with an Atheros | > > copyright. Luis Rodriguez (madwifi/ath5k) and Jouni Malinen (Linux | > > Prism2 HostAP) are working for Atheros now. The code seems to include | > > open source HAL-code, there is no binary blob. | > > | > > The only missing thing is the documentation, but even the existing | > > driver might help to port it to OpenBSD. Actually, the ath9k stuff is | > > very similar to ath5k which is indeed based on my ar5k driver (OpenBSD | > > ath(4))... too bad that Atheros did not decide to use a copyright like | > > | > > Copyright (c) 2008 Atheros Communications Inc. | > > Copyright (c) 2004-2007 Reyk Floeter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | > > | > > They neither apologized for all the trouble nor give me any credits | > > for my work. ath9k would not exist without my work on the OpenBSD | > > ar5k driver, it was a door opener, the base of the ath5k port, and | > > Atheros' way into the Linux kernel. It was the reason why Luis | > > Rodriguez got his new job. It might help Atheros to gain market | > > shares again, after they lost so many to more open companies like | > > Ralink Tech. | > > | > > | > | > | > it is really reassuring to see that a company like atheros is doing the | > right things here: | > | > - not releasing proper documentation | > - then not giving credit for WORK DONE FOR FREE THAT THEY CAN REUSE AT | > THEIR LEISURE | > | > it's a good thing that companies like atheros are so mindful of the | > people that help expand their user base, especially at no expense to | > them. | > | > whoever makes these garbage decisions at atheros should have their | > employment terminated. | -- >++++++++[<++++++++++>-]<+++++++.>+++[<------>-]<.>+++[<+ +++++++++++>-]<.>++[<------------>-]<+.--------------.[-] http://www.weirdnet.nl/
