Hi, On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
SUSE/Novell has announced that non-GPL kernel modules will no longer be part of future Novell products. Since SUSE Linux 6.3, AVM has been providing pre-compiled drivers for SUSE Linux. Since the release of SUSE 8.1 in September 2002, AVM drivers have been integrated into SUSE Linux distributions. Each time a new SUSE Linux Version beta cycle starts, AVM provides the latest drivers and Karsten Keil does an excellent job integrating those drivers. Therefore, a new SUSE Linux release goes hand in hand with the latest AVM driver development. At present, nearly the entire AVM product portfolio comes up with SUSE pre-compiled modules for ISDN and DSL devices and as such is part of the SUSE distribution: AVM ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card Classic AVM ISDN-Controller A1 AVM ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card PnP AVM ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card PCI / PCI v2.x AVM ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card PCMCIA AVM ISDN-Controller A1 PCMCIA AVM ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card USB AVM ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card USB v2.x AVM DSL/ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL AVM DSL/ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL v2.0 AVM DSL/ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL USB AVM DSL/ISDN-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL USB v2.0 AVM DSL-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL USB analog AVM DSL-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL SL AVM DSL-Controller FRITZ!Card DSL SL USB AVM ISDN-Controller B1 v1.4/v2.0/v3.0 (ISA) AVM ISDN-Controller B1 PCI / B1 PCI v4.0 AVM ISDN-Controller B1 PCMCIA AVM ISDN-Controller C2 AVM ISDN-Controller C4 AVM ISDN-Controller T1 AVM ISDN-Controller T1-B AVM FRITZ!X USB/ v2.0/ v3.0 AVM FRITZ!X ISDN AVM FRITZ!Box (AVM WLAN-Controller FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick) consequences In the past, the customer bought a fully functional distribution with the release of the brand new SUSE Linux. He could use ISDN fax G3, analog modem emulations or simply surf the internet via DSL/ISDN right away out of the box. For most users, that is the most important point in the distribution decision process. "Easy to use and right away surf the internet", that is the feedback we receive from our customers, when they visit AVM at fairs. The market share SUSE gained over past years is also based on SUSE's user-friendly policy of AVM driver integration. For six years now this strategic partnership with SUSE/Novell payed off for all parties. With Novell's decision to have non-GPL drivers no longer integrated, AVMs drivers will not be included on the distribution media anymore. The customer then needs to have an internet connection to download AVM's drivers or other packages. But without drivers the customer cannot download anything from the internet. conclusion This process will lead to our no longer being able to provide driver packages to the end user with a new SUSE/Novell box release. Our driver build and QS process will be subsequent to the box release instead of parallel to the beta cycle. The process is extended. Moreover, if the Novell decision is implemented as stated, the unique selling proposition of the SUSE Linux Distribution is diminished. And ultimately this decision will generate more support for both of us. This mail is not intended to provoke a discussion of open vs. closed source. The only intention of this mail is to make you aware of the consequences of such a decision. Kind regards Sven Schmidt AVM Audiovisuelles Marketing und Computersysteme GmbH Alt-Moabit 95, D-10559 Berlin http://www.avm.de
You better should try to find a way which is acceptable for the Linux kernel developer community. As i understand it, Novell is offering active help to you if you are ready to go this way.
Trying this, the "consequences" for you (AVM) would be much better. Cheers -e -- Eberhard Moenkeberg ([EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED])
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