Greg KH wrote:

quoted text
> On Wed, Feb 14, 2007 at 08:39:36AM +0100, Stephan A. Rickauer wrote:

>> On the subject of http://www.kroah.com/log/linux/free_drivers.html

>>

>> Now these companies have a great excuse to keep specs locked up tight

>> under NDA, while pretending to be "open."

>>

>> The OpenBSD project has been made clear more than once how this will

>> hurt Free Software in the long run. Signing NDA's ensures that Linux

>> gets a working driver, sure, but the internals are indistinguishable

>> from magic. It is a source code version of a blob.

>

> I'm guessing that you did not read the followup FAQ about the program

> at:

> 	http://www.kroah.com/log/linux/free_drivers_faq.html

>

> Please see the final question and answer on that page.

I did read your FAQ but I can't see how it rebuts what has just been

said. You seem to be happy with signing NDAs. If the result is a

readable and understandable GPL'ed driver, companies will be even less

motivated to release programming documentation. This will lead to a

GPL-lock-in since you simply replace the vendor not willing to share

specifications with an NDA'ed GPL developer not willing to share those,

but GPL code only.
This is not about freedom but about prostitution.
All other projects will have to continue to reverse engineer GPL

drivers. A very short sighted strategy of yours, but that's just my

opinion. I am just disappointed how easily prominent people like you

give up freedom, accompanied by clever-sounding excuses. The price of

freedom is eternal vigilance...
-- 
 Stephan A. Rickauer
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