Re: free Driver proposal (tm)

Dirk Steuwer
2005-12-08T08:52:53Z

Richard Knutsson <ricknu-0 <at> student.ltu.se> writes:

>
> Benjamin LaHaise wrote:
>
> >On Thu, Dec 08, 2005 at 03:07:37AM +0100, Richard Knutsson wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Why not something more of "Runs on Open Drivers", which also gives us a
> >>chance to "teach" people why to use an open OS without the replies:
> >>"Windows is pretty" (actually, it was a guy who told me that)
> >>
> >>

Yes, i was thinking purely about openDrivers.
Lets do it this way:

- get all open operating system folks to join
- have an approval organisation, that everyone is happy with
- lets call it "free driver" support
- create apropriate Logos for each operating system i.e. "Penguin-Logo"
with "free driver since kernel-a.b.c.d" or "BSD-Daemon-Logo" with "free driver
since a.b"
- the hardware version numer (usb-device id, pci-id)? will be held in a
database.
If in doubt people can look it up there. In case future kernels will
drop support, it can be marked there as well.
A yearly logo is too much
confusion, since hardware support for open drivers stays pretty long in
the kernel. (Imagine you license in december - you only got a month...)
Maybe educate people that support for kernel 2.6.x.y series means a
penguin logo on blue ground.
If dramatic changes to the kernel are introduced, which all
drivers affect call the kernel 2.8.x.y an educate people about a new linux
in town and create a penguin logo on yellow ground

- hardware vendors pay someone, or provide source code themselves
to be reviewed by apropriate kernel folks/bsd board...

- small licence fee and endless advertising possiblilities pay for
organisation folks and hosting.
Keeping up database records could help kernel developers.
There could be a log file attached to each device stating the
current affairs about support in varying OSs

Dirk