Re: Stockholm syndrome with Linux wireless?

[Linus Walleij <linus.walleij@linaro.org>]

On Mon, Sep 26, 2022 at 10:20 AM Kalle Valo <kvalo@kernel.org> wrote:
> Linus Walleij <linus.walleij@linaro.org> writes:
> > On Thu, Sep 22, 2022 at 3:31 PM Alvin Šipraga <ALSI@bang-olufsen.dk> wrote:
> >
> >> I would also point out that the BCM4359 is equivalent to the
> >> CYW88359/CYW89359 chipset, which we are using in some of our
> >> products. Note that this is a Cypress chipset (identifiable by the
> >> Version: ... (... CY) tag in the version string). But the FW Konrad is
> >> linking appears to be for a Broadcom chipset.
> >
> > This just makes me think about Peter Robinsons seminar at
> > LPC last week...
> > "All types of wireless in Linux are terrible and why the vendors
> > should feel bad"
> > https://lpc.events/event/16/contributions/1278/attachments/1120/2153/wireless-issues.pdf
>
> Thanks, this was a good read! I'm always interested about user and
> downstream feedback, both good and bad :) But I didn't get the Stockholm
> syndrome comment in the end, what does he mean with that?
>
> BTW we have a wireless workshop in netdevconf 0x16, it would be great to
> have there a this kind of session discussing user pain points:

I can't go to Lisbon, but my personal pain points are all this:
https://openwrt.org/meta/infobox/broadcom_wifi
and I think I'm not alone, but I can't speak for OpenWrt.

The lack of support in b43 for modern phys such as AC, i.e. the gap
between b43 and brcmfmac, is extremely annoying and turning perfectly
fine aftermarket devices into paperweights because there isn't even
a way to make Broadcoms old proprietary blob work with contemporary
kernels.

If Broadcom could be convinced to either add support for the late b43
variants or at least release documentation for the aftermarket that
would be great.

I suppose they might be coming to the conference so give them my best
regards with a "please fix" tag attached.

Yours,
Linus Walleij