X-Account-Key: account1 X-UIDL: 140144 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" X-Original-Message-ID: <475810BF.1030401@2rosenthals.com> Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:09:51 -0500 From: "Lewis G Rosenthal" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Subject: Re: [OS2Wireless] Is it time to commission a driver project apart from GenMAC? Some follow-up thoughts (and this goes to svobi's comments, as well): On 12/06/07 03:46 am, Stuart Gray thus wrote : > Lewis G Rosenthal writes: > Hi Lewis, I'm up for this! >> 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; > > Would have to somehow include PCMCIA cards (I still use a T20, > although it will be replaced with a T4x at some point, which has the > builtin card) I agree. It should be as inclusive as possible, and backward supportive of older architectures. >> * Available talent; > > No programming skills, I'm afraid :( Okay. There should be some others who are code-capable. There are many other tasks which do not require direct programming experience or talent. >> * Financial needs; > > Ideally free :) I'd pay a similar fee to SNAP. Agreed, though financial support of the coder(s) may be required at some point (depending upon how much volunteer effort is involved). >> * Legal issues surrounding code, whether in a wrapper or something >> akin to SNAP; > > I don't think there are any real issues about wrapping drivers, are > there? It isn't as though anyone would be charging for the drivers, > just for the wrapper portion (which would be OS/2 code). Some manufacturers have licensing issues regarding redistribution of their drivers. In a wrapper solution - and I tend to agree with Stan that wrappers may not be the best approach, though leaving the device driver coding to the manufacturers may solve a myriad of problems - it may be best to provide a script for downloading a given Win32 driver from the manufacturer site, extracting the necessary files, and moving on from there. I see this as a possible workaround to any redistribution issues. >> * Possibility of licensing SNAP; > > I'd love that, but isn't SNAP graphics? I thought we were talking > about WiFi drivers... SNAP technology is applicable across the board, from video to sound to networking. See http://www.scitechsoft.com/products/dev/sdk_home.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SciTech_SNAP. That's the beauty of it. I just don't know whether the current owners of the code are interested in either licensing it or even developing for OS/2. >> * Demand for a second (competing) project; > > Well, if we aren't getting satisfaction from the existing project, it > may be necessary. My thoughts, as well. >> * Possible impact - positive or negative - on GenMAC, XWLAN, and >> Netlabs > > It may halt development on GenMAC, it shouldn't affect XWLAN, since > that works with whatever driver, I have no idea how Netlabs would react. Stan seems to think that such a project should be hosted by Netlabs. I don't see the interest there, and Adrian may be averse to the idea entirely (I haven't actually asked, so I am speculating, here). I tend to think that this could go in one of two directions: Either GenMAC development gets a boost from the competition or it ceases, should a different project progress to the point where it could support all of GenMAC's then-current devices. As for XWLAN, we would want (IMO) to be able to speak to it just as GenMAC does, so I agree, there should be no impact on that project one way or the other. >> 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... > Thanks for posting (everyone). -- Lewis ------------------------------------------------------------ Lewis G Rosenthal, CNA, CLP, CLE Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC Accountants / Network Consultants New York / Northern Virginia www.2rosenthals.com eComStation Consultants www.ecomstation.com Novell Users Int'l www.novell.com/openenterpriseserver Need a managed Wi-Fi hotspot? www.hautspot.com ------------------------------------------------------------ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=