Talking to Logitech on the phone regarding webcam support for linux

[Mike McCarty]

Dotan Cohen wrote:
> On 07/02/07, Rick Stevens <rstevens at vitalstream.com> wrote:
> 
>>
>> Not necessarily.  Some of TI's wireless network stuff, for example, can
>> easily be convinced to broadcast at higher-than-normal power levels and
>> at completely bogus frequencies.
>>
>> If they open up the driver, the source will be published and anyone with
>> a tiny bit of know-how can wreak havoc with local wireless networks.
>> Now, you could argue that TI should redesign the chipset (they have)
>> but what about all the chipsets that are already out there?  Knowing how
>> lawyers are, TI would get hit with lawsuit after lawsuit.  That being
>> the case, can you blame them for keeping the source closed?  I don't.
>>
> 
> That's a great arguement. Let me sum it up, to be certain that I
> understood correctly:
> "TI has sold very powerful hardware: stuff so powerful that it might
> be illeagal or even dangerous. So instead of letting everybody use it,
> their best interest is in allowing only crippled Windows computers to
> use it. Allowing all systems to use the powerful hardware could open
> them up to a potential lawsuit."

You have not understood the argument. What is legal in one country
may not be legal in another. What may be legal for one application
may not be legal for another. The same chipset may be used for, for
example, a mobile telephone with 1W or more output power, but
be limited to 10mW for wireless network communication.

Rather than develop umpty-ump different configurations of the chipset,
they create a chipset which can be configured to be legal in whatever
country, and for a variety of applications. This is good reuse.

You seem to be proposing that they develop special purpose ASICs
rather than general purpose chipsets. That is not the best use
of their talent.

Mike
-- 
p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
Oppose globalization and other One World Governments like the UN.
This message made from 100% recycled bits.
You have found the bank of Larn.
I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you.
I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!