Two messages ago, I wrote "we need a VERY FAST response from Acme" and, boy, they did answer quickly! I just received a phone call from them, I got explanations about the problem, and, although I understand there is no solution so far, I now have the feeling that they are not leaving users alone with their problems, and that they are actively working to solve them.
I think it is fair to share this with the whole newsgroup. Riccardo --- In [email protected], "Riccardo Cassinis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > John, > > first of all let me thank you for the time you took in writing such a > detailed answer. > > Let me point out that in my message I never blamed, nor even mentioned > your work, which I appreciate very much. I fully support open software, > and I know very well the amount of efforts developers devote to it. > > As for the point wether communication through the wi-fi channel works or > not, from my point of view as software tester and user I would say no, > it doesn't, because the system should be capable of understanding when > the critical limit is about to be reached, or should provide a means for > doing that. I can't obviously expect full bandwidth from a 100 Mips > machine, but I don't expect that the whole system unrecoverably crashes > either! Anyway, it should be clear that I am NOT blaming on you because > the software does not yet work as it should (I am confident that the > problem will be solved soon). > > You state that the Foxboard runs Linux, which carries no warranty for > any particular purpose. This is true. But the Foxboard is not software, > is not free, and is advertised as being fit for a particular purpose. > This is what upsets me. Saying that the problem was well known since > long and that it had been discussed in the maiiling lists does not help > in this sense. Usually, one reads technical specifications, not mailing > lists, when deciding which device to buy. Specially if the manufacturer > has a good reputation (what i meant with my sentence "doesn't add much, > so to speak, to Acme's reputation" was that I was surprised that a > company that had a very good reputation would advertise something > untrue). The recent addition to the web page proves that I was right, > although the definition of "normal" and "heavy" load is vague, and a > lawyer would surely find reasons to complain (once again, with the > hardware manufacturer). > > Ok, we shall now place that project "on hold" waiting for better times > to come. Let's see what the other people who have the same problem will > do. But if anyone finds a workaround, please let us know! > > Riccardo (double C, please...) > > --- In [email protected], John Crispin john@ wrote: > > > > * i have taken a long time to think about what to say and how to say > > it so please everyone read it fully. If anyone would like to comment > > on the matter you are invited to do so, from the bottom of my heart * > > > > dear ricardo, > > > > i am john crispin, the maintainer of the sdk toolchain. When i started > > using the foxboard, when they were first released, the sdk came > > straight from Axis in sweden (the producer of the chip). it was > > missing a lot of drivers (like wifi) and packages (like wireless > > tools), that i added to the sdk using what was previously know as the > > "phrozen patch" and is now known as the FoxSDK. Being an OpenSource > > developer, i did this fully in my spare time, contributing to the > > community of nice people, just for the fun and because i have the > > knowledge to do so. All the code in the sdk is under the GPLv1/v2 > > license with the clauses probably known to you (but we will come back > > to this later in the mail). > > > > *** hence this statement is purely personal and not an official > > Acmesystems statement. They will contact you directly very soon *** > > > > Let me respond now to the interesting mail that you send to the list > > > > > Being deeply involved in Marco's and Cristian's work (I am their > > > supervisor), I regret to say that the whole matter is being treated > in a > > > completely wrong way. The problem is not wether kernel 2.4 is more > or > > > less stable than 2.6 as far as wireless is concerned: the point is > that, > > > on Acme's website, the Foxboard is advertised as WORKING with wi-fi, > and > > > specifically with that particular USB stick (the DWL G122). > > > We therefore bought the device FROM THEM trusting the ad, and later > > > discovering that > > > > You are correct, that on the acme site it is stated that the stick is > > supported. Form my point of view as a developer it does work. There > > are known issues that the 2.6.15 support of the usb host driver > > provided by the cpu manufacturer has problems under heavy load. I did > > respond very quickly to the bug report issued by your students, > > however i regret to haver sent only a short mail. The reason for this > > is that the issue has been reported lots and lots and lots on this > > list and it has also been announced just as often that a fix is being > > worked on. As i said i do the developement of the SDK in my free time > > and under GPL, so some times it takes a bit longer to have a fix fully > > working and tested. I do however agree with you that the information > > on the website is not complete, it states that the wifi stick works, > > however with the limitations i explained above. > > > > > > >>>>> yes this is a known problem > > > > > > and that > > > > > >>>>> unfortunatley the issue will not be resolved until we > > >>>>> have 2.6.19 > > > > > > > As i said i am working on a fix, there will be a lot of new software > > using a new release, which is a complete rework of the code base, > > adding more new features than most would dream of. With the upcoming > > release i will prove once again that the community means alot to me > > personally, otherwise i would not invest hundreds of "free" hours into > > the support. I am in constant contact with a lot of users, reachable > > via skype, icq and even telphone, giving free support where i can, but > > i am not a magician and 100 mips is only 100 mips. making usb stable > > on 2.4 was hard work and so will the part of making it stable on 2.6. > > However as i said it does take its time. > > > > > > > At this point, I think there are only two possibilities: either, as > the > > > Italian law states, the problem is fully solved (by Acme, not by us) > > > within a REASONABLE amount of time, or they will have to provide a > full > > > refund for all expenses we incurred, given that their product is not > > > conforming to advertised specifications. And this means that we need > a > > > VERY FAST response from Acme. > > I am from germany, so i have no idea of the italian law. But what do > > you understand as a very fast response and reasonable amount of time ? > > i spoke to Mr. Asquini - Co-Founder of Acmesystems SRL. today to > > discuss your e-mail, he will contact you directly on friday 15.june. > > as i stated before, in my opinion the producer is "conforming to > > advertised specifications" just that there are known issues when using > > webcam+wifi > > > > > I am sorry for being somewhat rude, but we are all wasting precious > > > research time on a trivial problem that someone else claimed did not > > > exist. > > dont worry, i am sure you took as much time as me to think about the > > words said. And rest assured you REALLY said them clear enough. > > > > now for the really shoking part > > > > > doesn't add much, so to speak, to Acme's reputation. > > I have meet the guys from acme on several occasions and i have only > > rarely meet such nice supportive people. I have worked with linux > > hardware for many years now and the foxboard is by far the most fun i > > ever had with any embedded device. It has been taken from the whole > > linux community with a lot of anticipation and joy. I have seen lots > > and lots of great project using the fox, from industry automation, > > train controls, roborts, toy helicopters, routers, print servers, ... > > (i have not enough time to give you a full list, but believe me it is > > long). Up to know you are the first person i have come across that is > > so unhappy with his fox in the 2 years that i have been using it. > > especially as the problem is well documented in the mailing list (and > > yes i know it should be noted on the website, which was added just 2 > > minutes ago). So basically your statement implying Acme has a bad > > reputation is shrudely false. I grant you your own opinion however, i > > just believe it is totally none representative from an academic point > > of view. > > > > > > Finally i would like to point out to you the following. The device you > > are trying to use runs linux. By using the software you implictly > > accept the GPL which clearly states the following text > > > > --- quote --- > > This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, > > but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of > > MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the > > GNU General Public License for more details. > > --- quote --- > > > > thanks, > > John > > >
