On 03/10/2013 05:37 PM, Bastian Bittorf wrote: > * Daniel Golle <daniel.go...@gmail.com> [10.03.2013 16:24]: >> However, the law over here says that it should not be up to the user to >> decide that. > > i understand your thoughts, but linux/openwrt is not responsible for > fight with the law. otherwise we must e.g. built it without SSL for > several countries. the user is smart enough for that. if he is not, > it's not our fault. > > the big question is: how deep you want to restrict the user > for protect for himself? imho, it there should be no restriction at > all, but ofcourse there are more conservative people out there 8-) > > also: in germany i'am allowed to power with 40.000 mW under > some circumstances, but my regdomain knows it better?! > > it's the same like having an english DVD with a regdomain code, which > a friend gave me as a gift, but my german player cannot deal > with it, because it's forbidden?! > > long story short: in the UI the user must select > the right country. if he dont want that, he knows why... > (unsure, if this enforces the correct regdomain?) Comparing radio regulations with DCMA cases (DVD country code) is not appropriate. No *user* ever got fined for operating a region-free DVD player, not even in the US. However, if you start using channel 14 outdoors @500mW in germany, you might well attract some attention...
If what you suggest is the official policy of OpenWrt to handle radio regulation -- why don't we include stuff like https://code.google.com/p/iwleeprom/source/browse/branches/atheros and also adapt it to deal with in-flash EEPROM-data, i.e. have the art partition R/W, so users can change their in-EEPROM regdomain settings (among other things). Or just have CONFIG_ATH_USER_REGD enabled by default. We don't do that. Because it would make users violate the law without even knowing they do so. And get them fined by the Bundesnetzagentur, FCC or whoever is in charge where they life. So I'm not talking about some silly DCMA-like issues, software-patents or your local dictatorship preventing you from using SSL (btw: OpenWrt binaries don't ship with any SSL implementation afaik). Simply speaking: If I buy a TP-LINK router in germany and flash it with OpenWrt, it will come with ETSI 0x68 regdomain (or similar) set in the "art" partition, which is marked read-only. OpenWrt *binaries* will not allow me to exceed or bypass the regulations the WiFi EEPROM suggests, in no possible way. If I know what I'm doing, I can recompile the image with CONFIG_ATH_USER_REGD or maybe even change the in-flash EEPROM-data. However, then I apparently know what I'm doing and it's just really my own fault if I violate the law. The default settings of the binaries on downloads.openwrt.org do *not* allow me to do that. And that's what I'm talking about. The danger is simply that people will flash OpenWrt and without even knowing start using frequency bands or TX-power-levels which they are not allowed to operate in their country. This whole discussion is mainly due to the importer failing to set proper values in the EEPROM and that's sad, but already happened. _______________________________________________ openwrt-devel mailing list openwrt-devel@lists.openwrt.org https://lists.openwrt.org/mailman/listinfo/openwrt-devel
