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Re: atheros - just curious, ot
by David Vasek
::
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On Mon, 28 Jul 2008, Jacob Yocom-Piatt wrote:
> Reyk Floeter wrote:
>> On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 09:28:10AM -0500, Marco Peereboom wrote:
>>
>>> I threw my git saving throw so I was able to avoid looking at it.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> There is a version in the OpenWRT tree:
>> https://dev.openwrt.org/cgi-bin/trac.fcgi/browser/trunk/package/ath9k/src/drivers/net/wireless/ath9k
>>
>> The following thread also carries some information:
>> http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/18019
>>
>> Actually, I'm confused. It carries an ISC license with an Atheros
>> copyright. Luis Rodriguez (madwifi/ath5k) and Jouni Malinen (Linux
>> Prism2 HostAP) are working for Atheros now. The code seems to include
>> open source HAL-code, there is no binary blob.
>>
>> The only missing thing is the documentation, but even the existing
>> driver might help to port it to OpenBSD. Actually, the ath9k stuff is
>> very similar to ath5k which is indeed based on my ar5k driver (OpenBSD
>> ath(4))... too bad that Atheros did not decide to use a copyright like
>>
>> Copyright (c) 2008 Atheros Communications Inc.
>> Copyright (c) 2004-2007 Reyk Floeter <reyk@...>
>>
>> They neither apologized for all the trouble nor give me any credits
>> for my work. ath9k would not exist without my work on the OpenBSD
>> ar5k driver, it was a door opener, the base of the ath5k port, and
>> Atheros' way into the Linux kernel. It was the reason why Luis
>> Rodriguez got his new job. It might help Atheros to gain market
>> shares again, after they lost so many to more open companies like
>> Ralink Tech.
>>
>>
>
>
> it is really reassuring to see that a company like atheros is doing the right
> things here:
>
> - not releasing proper documentation
> - then not giving credit for WORK DONE FOR FREE THAT THEY CAN REUSE AT THEIR
> LEISURE
>
> it's a good thing that companies like atheros are so mindful of the people
> that help expand their user base, especially at no expense to them.
>
> whoever makes these garbage decisions at atheros should have their employment
> terminated.
Isn't it a DEJA VU?
A different "company" (Linux developers then, Atheros now), but the very
same people. Still the same "BSD licence means no copyright" attitude.
I am afraid that the old story has never ended.
Regards,
David
P.S. And, btw., they were so eager to relicense Reyk's HAL from BSD
licence to GPL -- isn't Atheros breaking the GPL licence of Linux's ath5k
driver now? Didn't they argument, that the purpose of GPL is to protect
their work from being used by big corporations for free?
> Reyk Floeter wrote:
>> On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 09:28:10AM -0500, Marco Peereboom wrote:
>>
>>> I threw my git saving throw so I was able to avoid looking at it.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> There is a version in the OpenWRT tree:
>> https://dev.openwrt.org/cgi-bin/trac.fcgi/browser/trunk/package/ath9k/src/drivers/net/wireless/ath9k
>>
>> The following thread also carries some information:
>> http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/18019
>>
>> Actually, I'm confused. It carries an ISC license with an Atheros
>> copyright. Luis Rodriguez (madwifi/ath5k) and Jouni Malinen (Linux
>> Prism2 HostAP) are working for Atheros now. The code seems to include
>> open source HAL-code, there is no binary blob.
>>
>> The only missing thing is the documentation, but even the existing
>> driver might help to port it to OpenBSD. Actually, the ath9k stuff is
>> very similar to ath5k which is indeed based on my ar5k driver (OpenBSD
>> ath(4))... too bad that Atheros did not decide to use a copyright like
>>
>> Copyright (c) 2008 Atheros Communications Inc.
>> Copyright (c) 2004-2007 Reyk Floeter <reyk@...>
>>
>> They neither apologized for all the trouble nor give me any credits
>> for my work. ath9k would not exist without my work on the OpenBSD
>> ar5k driver, it was a door opener, the base of the ath5k port, and
>> Atheros' way into the Linux kernel. It was the reason why Luis
>> Rodriguez got his new job. It might help Atheros to gain market
>> shares again, after they lost so many to more open companies like
>> Ralink Tech.
>>
>>
>
>
> it is really reassuring to see that a company like atheros is doing the right
> things here:
>
> - not releasing proper documentation
> - then not giving credit for WORK DONE FOR FREE THAT THEY CAN REUSE AT THEIR
> LEISURE
>
> it's a good thing that companies like atheros are so mindful of the people
> that help expand their user base, especially at no expense to them.
>
> whoever makes these garbage decisions at atheros should have their employment
> terminated.
Isn't it a DEJA VU?
A different "company" (Linux developers then, Atheros now), but the very
same people. Still the same "BSD licence means no copyright" attitude.
I am afraid that the old story has never ended.
Regards,
David
P.S. And, btw., they were so eager to relicense Reyk's HAL from BSD
licence to GPL -- isn't Atheros breaking the GPL licence of Linux's ath5k
driver now? Didn't they argument, that the purpose of GPL is to protect
their work from being used by big corporations for free?
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