X-Account-Key: account1 X-UIDL: 140153 X-Mozilla-Keys: Return-Path: X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 5.1.3 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: List-Archive: Precedence: list Message-ID: Reply-To: "OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" Sender: "OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" To: "OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 07:44:46 -0800 From: "Neil Waldhauer" X-Original-Message-ID: Subject: Re: [OS2Wireless] Is it time to commission a driver project apart from GenMAC? On Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:45:12 -0500, "Lewis G Rosenthal" wrote: > I'd like to revive this thread (right here, on this list, please), and > solicit comments concerning the following: > > * Viability of a new driver project; > * Available talent; > * Financial needs; > * Legal issues surrounding code, whether in a wrapper or something > akin to SNAP; > * Possibility of licensing SNAP; > * Demand for a second (competing) project; > * Possible impact - positive or negative - on GenMAC, XWLAN, and Netlabs > > I'm willing to set up a forum topic for this on warptech.info (I need to > revive that site, anyway) or even devote webspace to Trac, MediaWiki, > Mantis, SVN, or something else perhaps more appropriate to the task. > Right now, I'd just like to brainstorm a little. If it comes out that we > simply don;t have enough interested or able bodies, then so be it. I'd > just like to explore the idea, first... One of the strongest approaches we could take is to wait for GenMac source code, and then fork the project. (fork: to split an open-source project into two in order to persue different goals.) GenMac implements NDIS5 using Windows drivers. Our fork could take the good work of GenMac, and add/replace the Windows drivers with. 1. Linux drivers 2. Native drivers Further, we could develop the services our fork of GenMac provides beyond those that make XWLAN possible. The most important thing would be to run the project with maximum publicity in order to attract more developers. Next most important is to reuse software that other people have already written. We can do that by providing network programming interfaces and recompiling their software. We'd also want to avoid some dead ends, like users offering $39 to help us buy a $1,000,000 software package. But I've been surprised lately how many end users are willing to chip in, so maybe we do need to make it easy to take their money. VOICE is doing pretty well with PMMail, even thought there is no GA, yet, there is a reasonable chance they will recover their investment. Neil -- Neil Waldhauer, neil@blondeguy.com In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to To switch to the INDEX mode, E-mail to Send administrative queries to To subscribe (new addresses), E-mail to: and reply to the confirmation email. Web archives are publicly available at: http://lists.2rosenthals.com This list is hosted by Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC P.O. Box 281, Deer Park, NY 11729-0281. Non- electronic communications related to content contained in these messages should be directed to the above address. (CAN-SPAM Act of 2003) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=