From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S269688AbUHZXec (ORCPT ); Thu, 26 Aug 2004 19:34:32 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S269762AbUHZXdo (ORCPT ); Thu, 26 Aug 2004 19:33:44 -0400 Received: from jib.isi.edu ([128.9.128.193]:54144 "EHLO jib.isi.edu") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S269688AbUHZXc5 (ORCPT ); Thu, 26 Aug 2004 19:32:57 -0400 Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 16:32:53 -0700 From: Craig Milo Rogers To: Linus Torvalds Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Termination of the Philips Webcam Driver (pwc) Message-ID: <20040826233244.GA1284@isi.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org As a third party, I issue a plea for mediation. Over on the linux-usb-devel mailing list, a spat has arisin between the Linux 2.6 USB maintainer, Greg K-H, and Nemosoft, the author of the driver (drivers/usb/media/pwc*) for certain Philips-based Web cameras. As a result, Nemosoft has asked that his driver be removed from the Linux 2.6 kernel. The driver is structured as two modules: an open-source module, included in the standard Linux kernel for years, which controls the basic operations of the camera chip, and a closed-source module, distributed in object format independently of the Linux kernel, that provides decompression services for proprietary codecs that are used for higher-resolution modes in some Web cameras based on this chip family. A hook in the open-source driver allows decompression modules (codec modules) (which may, after all, be either open source or proprietary) to register with the main driver. Citing the fact that the only current use of the hook was to register a non-open-source module, and citing a policy statement by Linux Torvalds (see the discussion on the linux-usb-devel archive for details), Greg K-H removed the hook from Nemosoft's in-kernel driver, and Nemosoft withdrew his driver from Linux. As a not uninterested bystander (I just invested $200 of my personal money in Logitech web cameras on the strength of the pwc driver, based on Web research only two days old now!), I appeal for higher-level arbitration in this issue. I, personally, would prefer a pure open-source kernel, and in fact, Nemosoft posted that he has at this time the opportunity to discuss with Philips the possibility of open-sourcing the codecs involved. However, Greg K-H's unilateral decision to excise the pwc codec hook has so infuriated Nemosoft that, unless another maintainer for this driver steps forth, we may be left with no Linux support at all for this popular family of web cameras. Craig Milo Rogers