Linux support?

[wpvanpaassen]

Yes I already read that reaction, thank you

I think it is just shortsighted to think you can keep ahead of your competitors by keeping your interface documentation closed because of so called sensitive information.
Any competitor interested in your product is able to reverse-engineer your drivers and hardware and they probably already have done this. They don't need your docs to do this.

The open source movement however does need your docs to create a reliable and stable driver. Everybody wins and you will reap the benefits of these os-drivers obviously.

I understand the sentiment of guarding specs and docs against the big bad world but I think it is false and only hurts overal adaption of a product in the long run.

regards,

WP van Paassen

[VincentG]

We appreciate your input, and will definitely post any new information concerning Linux drivers here.

[wpvanpaassen]

Hi,

Here's some great news concerning free linux drivers

http://www.kroah.com/log/2007/01/29/#free_drivers

It's basically an offer for the development of free device drivers by the linux kernel community. It even deals with NDA's .

Check it out please.

Kind regards,
W.P. van Paassen

[VincentG]

Will forward onto the development team.....

[crizgo]

We have sensitive information in our interface documentation that we are not interested in releasing publicly.

Linux is all about choice. You can choose to release as much or as little information. There are a number of commercial linux projects that retain some of their proprietary information while releasing other parts under general public license. It seems to me that you would not be at a disadvantage because you are also a hardware vendor. The more platforms your hardware is compatible with the more demand there will be for your product.

Maybe you could offer proprietary drivers for gaming or voice recognition , as well as, an open source driver that would at least give Linux users the ability to control the cursor.

[brasno]

I got friend with LIS (locked in syndrome). Thanks to smartnav he is alive and in contact with others. He is wondering if it is possible to switch to linux in the near future. Can you tell me if you made any contacts with free linux driver development team?
Thanks!

CU

[VincentG]

We cuurently have not had the time to contact them, as the development team is working on other software projects.

[Hossebo]

it cant be a problem to write a linux drive
we are in year 2007 not 1988

i need a smartnav to control the cursor in windows
and smartnav is the only head mouse on the market that works good.

so why not write a linux drive now
and don't give me that "We have sensitive information in our interface documentation that we are not interested in releasing publicly"

find a developer who can follow the guidelines please!!

im so tired of windows and i like to run ubuntu...

[windozesux]

ok..maybe the username was not called for but i'm looking to see if there is any point in keeping this thing (track ir). if proprietary code is the problem maybe should talk to the guys at linuxant.com that sell linux conexant drivers. from there web site:

"Due to intellectual-property/patent issues beyond our control, the source code of some components like modem modulations cannot be released; however, we have attempted to reduce the inconvenience of binary-only modules by separating the proprietary code from the operating-system specific code. The latter is provided in source form, allowing users to install the drivers under any supported version of the Linux kernel." -linuxant.com

i use one of these works; well and don't care whats in it.

if there is no chance of linux support i'm getting rid of trackir. good product, nice toy, but not worth going back to windoze.
mike

[VincentG]

We appreciate your input, and will definitely post any new information concerning Linux drivers here, but we currently do not have anymore new information.