> John touches upon a sore subject around OLPC here. On both 1.5 > and 1.75, OLPC obtained assurances from the companies that the > data sheets for the processor/companion chips/SoC would be > publicly availably by the time the laptop reached production. > > In both cases, the companies lied to get the designs > started and have no intention of ever releasing critical > documentation outside of an NDA. > > As a company with extremely limited means, what is OLPC to do ?
Trying to do business with people who lie is a classic reason for contract law. Write a contract before you start, which permits YOU to release the specific documents that you care about (which you have received under NDA). You clearly have them in-house. If your contract with the company permits YOU to post them, then no amount of later lying by the company can prevent you from posting them when the laptop goes into mass production. If the company refuses to sign that contract, don't use their chip; use someone else's -- BEFORE you spend the multiple million dollars. Since you tend to like ARM these days, there seem to be about 20 ARM chip vendors around; ONE of them should be smart or stupid enough to sign such a contract to get your business. In what form were the existing "assurances from the companies" provided? In writing? If they are, or could be interpreted as, part of the contract negotiations or committments, then OLPC may already be free to post these documents. Or, more likely, to sue the companies to force them to honor their contract. (That's why a better construction for future contracts is one that lets you release it yourself, without needing a lawsuit.) John _______________________________________________ Devel mailing list Devel@lists.laptop.org http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel