>>> +with the kernel source, and is prebuilt in most, if not all, distributions. >>> +There is, however, additional software that is required. Because the >>> firmware >>> +used by the processor in the Broadcom chip is copyrighted, it is not >>> possible >>> +for any third party to distribute it. >> Strictly speaking, Linux is copyrighted too. It would be better to >> rephrase it to mention the specific restrictions, whatever they are. > > A good suggestion - perhaps some other reader might suggest language here. >
Broadcom has not given the bcm43xx team redistribution rights to this firmware. Since we cannot legally redistribute the firwmare we cannot include it with the driver. >>> Furthermore, it cannot be placed in the >>> +downloadable archives of any distributing organization; therefore, the >>> user is >>> +responsible for obtaining the firmware and placing it in the appropriate >>> location >>> +so that the driver can find it when initializing. >> But how come it's on openwrt.org then? > > Linksys used Linux on the older versions of the WRT54G. According to the GPL, > they have to make the > system available. Of course, it is within their rights to provide the driver > in a binary-only form > and openwrt.org is allowed to redistibute the entire system. BTW, Linksys now > uses VxWorks, which > doesn't have the GPL "problem". It's debatable. I would rather that the bcm43xx steer clear from legal issues as much as possible. (Hence the Chinese wall reverse-engineering effort, etc.), so we don't redistribute the firmware. If Broadcom or whomever gave us explicit permission to distribute the firmware, it would be okay. Otherwise, it's not in our best interest to do so. That said, if others want to distribute it, we won't tell them not to. :) >>> +Once this file is downloaded, the command 'bcm43xx-fwcutter -i <filename>' >>> will list >>> +the "blobs" of microcode in the file. The command 'bcm43xx-fwcutter -w >>> <dir> <filename>' >>> +will extract the microcode and write it to directory <dir>. >> Sorry for a naive question. How hard would is be to run fwcutter once, >> zip the firmware and put it to the same directory on the same site? > > AFAIK, we are not allowed to do anything like that. For the same reasons as above. It's not technical, just legal. :p -Joe _______________________________________________ Bcm43xx-dev mailing list [email protected] https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/bcm43xx-dev
