Mr. Awad,
As a user and supporter of open source projects, I am calling on Intel
to revise its policy on distributing firmware and hardware documentation
for its wireless chipsets. The firmware binary bundle should be freely
distributable in its original form, without requiring users or
developers to sign away any of their rights. The documentation should be
available to all in order to develop correctly functioning drivers for
any operating system.
Please note that I am not asking Intel (or any vendor) to disclose the
source code of the firmware or the device drivers Intel provides for
other operating systems such as MS Windows.
Reviewing the presentation by Mr. James Ketrenos (OSDL, July 2006), it
seems Intel's compromise solution to the open source dilemna is based on
a flawed business model. The presentation suggests the objectives of the
corporation are to
"provide competitive advantage, influence the industry, meet direct
customer requirements (typically OEMs), control of quality, ability
to create new proprietary products",
while the community wishes to "enable freedom to innovate, develop new
(and improve existing) functionality, fix bugs, maintain kernel and
library compatibility, support end users, perform security audits".
Shouldn't the objective be instead to satisfy customers and give them
value for their purchase? This is precisely why OpenBSD is asking for
documentation -- to enable users to derive maximum benefit from hardware
and software. If Intel executives have forgotten this, then no amount
of whizzbang gimmickry (be it technical, legal or corporate
communications) will compensate for the erosion of their customer base
to competitors who keep their customers in mind by, among other
strategies, freely distributing firmware and documentation.
Regards
Louis Bertrand
Ontario, Canada
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
