\documentclass{article}
\title{Linux USB}


\begin{document}

%\maketitle

\section{The Linux USB Special Interest Group}

The Linux USB Special Interest Group is a team of developers, testers,
document writers and users who are interested in progressing Universal
Serial Bus support under Linux and other open source operating systems.

Like many other open source development efforts, the Linux USB development
is coordinated using the Internet, mainly using a mailing list reflector and
a set of web pages.

\section{Linux USB Support}

The Linux USB subsystem currently provides support for
Universal Host Controller Interface (UHCI) and Open Host Controller Interface
(OHCI) compliant hosts, USB 1.0 and 1.1 hubs, and a wide range of USB devices,
including:
\begin{itemize}
	\item Human Interface Device (HID) class devices, such as keyboards,
		mice, trackballs, joysticks and drawing tablets.
	\item Abstract Communication Class devices, including some modems and ISDN
		terminal adapters.
	\item Audio class devices such as speakers.
	\item Printer class compliant printers and printer adapter cables.
	\item Mass storage devices, including hard disk drives, floppy disk
		drives, CD-ROMs, removable media and some memory card devices.
	\item A wide range of USB scanners.
	\item A range of USB "web-cams" and other imaging devices.
	\item A range of USB serial adapters.
	\item Most USB ethernet adapters.
\end{itemize}

Support for both types of host controllers, hubs and most of the devices
is included in the current experimental Linux kernel releases (2.3 series),
and will be provided in the upcoming stable Linux kernel releases (2.4 series).
A few devices under development are available in other places. The list
of known devices is regularly updated, and can be seen by visiting
http://www.linux-usb.org

The Linux USB subsystem is being actively maintained and improved, and while
there is always room for improvement, many people use Linux USB on a daily
basis.
	

\section{Linux USB Compliance Testing}

The Linux USB Special Interest Group recognises and supports compliance
and interoperability testing on USB products. The Linux USB Special Interest
Group plans to provide an interoperability test procedure in time for the
next USB PlugFest in August 2000.

The Linux USB interoperability test procedure is under active
development - you can see snapshot releases on http://


\section{Open Source Benefits}

The concept of open source works very well in supporting supporting
operating system features such as USB, with developers, documenters,
testers and users all working together to provide very rapid
evolutionary development.

Open source makes excellent sense for a hardware vendor, since it allows
expansion of the market at a very low market entry cost, and with no
increase in support costs. Your USB device could work on Linux for the
price of releasing your programming specification.

In addition to the increase in market size for a particular product,
early support for Linux can also improve the name recognition of your company
amongst the emerging Linux user base, which runs heavily on community
recommendations.

\section{Linux USB support for your products}

There essentially two approaches to getting your USB product supported
under Linux and other open source operating systems.

The "hands-off" approach is to wait for an interested developer to
decide to support your product (or a class of USB devices, which may
include your product). If your product uses a vendor specific protocol,
and information that protocol is not publically available, it is
unlikely that this will provide support in the short to medium term.

The "hands-on" approach is to express commitment to the open source
operating system market. By ensuring that your devices comply to the
relevant USB specification classes (if any), and publishing any vendor
specific commands, you can reduce the impediment that a potential developer
perceives. You can further encourage developers by providing sample
devices. The ultimate step is one of cooperative development between
your company and the developers within the Linux USB Special Interest
Group. This is exemplified by the cooperative approach taken by
SanDisk for their Compact Flash card reader. By working with Matt Dharm
(maintainer of the  Mass Storage class device driver for Linux USB), they
ensured that device firmware bugs that were hidden by problems in Windows 98
were resolved before the design was frozen and production started. This also
showed problems in the Linux USB system which were fixed. Result: SanDisk
SDDR-31 is {\em the} recommended USB Compact Flash reader to buy for Linux,
the device has less errata, and the Linux USB system is improved. A true win-win
situation.

If time to market is crucial and your device requires special expertise,
perhaps your company may want or need to develop the changes to the Linux USB
system internally. The Linux USB Special Interest Group has an active
mailing list, which all interested Linux USB developers and
users are welcome to participate in. To subscribe, send an email to
linux-usb-subscribe@suse.com. A  full archive of the mailing list
and other information of
use to developers and testers is linked off the main Linux USB web page:
http://www.linux-usb.org.


\section{Particular Needs}

The Linux USB Special Interest Group coordinates the distribution of
information and long term loans and donations of equipment amongst developers.


Currently, the most urgent needs for Linux USB to support USB 2.0 are
USB 2.0 host controller cards and USB 2.0 hubs. Other USB 2.0 devices will
become progressively more important as the main infrastructure code is updated
and generic USB 2.0 support is made available to other device drivers.

USB 2.0 does not mean exclusively high speed, and the Linux USB Special Interest
Group will continue to support and expand the number and type of
USB devices supported under Linux. If your company has products that are
not supported under Linux, please contact the Linux USB Special Interest
Group to identify the best way of providing support.

\section{Contacting the Linux USB Special Interest Group}

Please contact Mr Randy Dunlap at FixME!

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