Re: Intel says no to permitting firmware redistribution

[Sean Hafeez <sah_(_dot_)_list_(_at_)_gmail_(_dot_)_com>]

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 17:57:31 +0100, Henning Brauer
<lists-openbsd_(_at_)_bsws_(_dot_)_de> wrote:
> * Toni Mueller <openbsd-misc_(_at_)_oeko_(_dot_)_net> [2004-11-11 13:25]:
> > Also, esp. in the wireless arena, there are a number of legal
> > constraints about how you can operate a card (ie, transmit power,
> > frequency etc), and these are, to the best of my knowledge, almost
> > completely software controlled. So, in order to stay within legal
> > bounds, you must be kept from fiddling with the thing...
> > (just another guess).
> 
> wrong guesses aren't getting any more true when they get repeated all
> over and over and over and over and over again
> 
> 

At the end of the day I am not sure that there should be no support
for these cards. Write the kernel wrapper and have the users go to the
Intel website to DL the firmware file if they want. Just because Intel
takes away the users choice does not mean that we should. Maybe give
the user a note to get the firmware here, but please email these
people and bitch about having to do it.

I really do not want to get in a flame war or anything. It is just my
though on the subject.