Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 16:03:12 -0800 From: Peter Wemm <peter@netplex.com.au> To: mjacob@feral.com Cc: Mike Smith <msmith@FreeBSD.ORG>, scanner@jurai.net, freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Intel driver doc's Take 2. Message-ID: <200103250003.f2P03Dh03713@mobile.wemm.org> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.4.21.0103240847540.92915-100000@beppo.feral.com>
index | next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail
Matthew Jacob wrote:
> > 1 - Give a select group of people the docs under NDA
> > 2 - If there are any specific features Intel wants avoided, get them to
> > identify
> > them up front.
> > 3 - Let them write a driver that uses whatever features that are useful, wi
th
> > header files that define the register bits etc that are reasonably rela
ted
> > to the features used.
> > 4 - Hand over the driver to intel for "final veto" with a pre-agreement in
> > place so that if they do not respond in 30 days we can release it as-is
.
> > 5 - If they have specific features or register bit definitions that they wa
nt
> > removed, then do so as long as it isn't going to hopelessly cripple the
> > driver. If they want something removed that wasn't covered in the list
at
> > the start and is going to cause severe performance problems (say a 10%
> > performance or efficiency drop), too bad.
> > 6 - Repeat the loop for 'final veto' but with a week timeout instead of 30
> > days.
> >
> > Regarding step 5; if the information is already "out there" (other open
> > source drivers, leaked onto the internet, etc) then it is fair game and we
> > can use it.
>
> Step 4 is a lose. That will never fly because they don't have the interest
> or bandwidth to review.
I know. That is why I stressed that it is critical that there is a timeout.
If there is no timeout, then you get stuck in the situation that Jonathan
Lemon is in with his driver.
*getting* the timeout clause is the trick. If somebody can manage that,
then we are set. Finding somebody with the right marketing/legal
connections who can get this in writing and who is naive enough to think
that their internal departments will spend the time is what requires luck
and/or persistance. There is no point beginning this process unless you
can get the procedure *in writing*.
Cheers,
-Peter
--
Peter Wemm - peter@FreeBSD.org; peter@yahoo-inc.com; peter@netplex.com.au
"All of this is for nothing if we don't go to the stars" - JMS/B5
To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
help
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?200103250003.f2P03Dh03713>