* Frank Worsley ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote:
[snip]
> 4. I think we have to also start a more coordinated effort to get specs from
> the hardware developers. This weekend I will sit down and try to come up
> with a nice document/letter/webpage aimed at management and titled something
> like "Why open source driver development is good for you" .... or something
> like that. When I get it written up I will post it to the list so everybody
> can review it. Once we have made something nice I will either email it or
> mail it to the different companies. Hopefully we can archieve something
> doing that ... what do you all think? This is where the person in point 1
> would come into play, to act as a contact person for the different
> companies. I don't know if I am being a little optimistic here ... but we
> have to at least keep trying. I guess the more professional it looks the
> better.
>
> Ok ... these are just some things that come to my mind ....
>
> - Frank
[snip]
perhaps an approach similar to the core XFree86 project's approach to this
should be considered.. im not sure if this is exactly how it works but
i think i can remember either Mark V, or David Dawes mentioning in an email
on the Xpert list a while back that, the project has a registered
company/business name (not sure if the two are considered differently in the
eyes of the law in US, but they are in AU) under which it applies for
specifications etc to the hardware vendors....some of the documentation i
believe is still obtained under NDA, but with some sort of clause that says
the code they develop may be released as long as it doesn;t directly quote
or reference anything from said specification that is under NDA, etc.
I beleive that all active developers (or maybe all registered developers) are
part of or are 'volunteer employees' (since they are a not for profit
organization), which means they are covered under the NDA and can have access
to the hardware specs. Apparently there are several internal mailing lists
that only registered developers may subscribe to, for discussion about
development etc, that cannot be public due to NDA agreements....
I hate NDA's and the like as much as the next person, but for many reasons
already mentioned on this list, they seem to be a necessary evil to prevent
companies being sued etc, as well as to protect there IP. It would be better
if documentation could be obtained without having to agree to an NDA, but
if hardware vendors would be willing to accept a clause that allows the source
code to still be released, i cant see any problem with that...
just a thought
ben
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