OT Mini-RANT: fc5: wifi & ndiswrapper

Wed Mar 29 02:32:20 MST 2006

Am 28. Mar, 2006 schwätzte Darrin Chandler so:

> <disclaimer>
> This broadcom card is probably something you've had laying around for ages, 
> and you're just trying to get it to work. Josh, this isn't *really* aimed 
> *directly* at you... (unless it applies)
> </disclaimer>
>
> If you need ndiswrapper then you're not using free software. If you've got a 
> binary kernel driver (such as nVidia's) then you're not using free software. 
> Is this a minor, pedantic point? No! It's important to you, whether you know 
> it or not!

I'm using only Free Software drivers. Same as it ever was.

If I were wanting to upgrade to a new graphics card what options are
there? I looked around a bit today and it didn't look good. Maybe I was
just looking in the wrong places.

XGI and Via announced last year that they were going to release the source
code for their drivers under the GPL. Via is something I've thought about,
but everybody laughs at me when I suggest it...

I found out about XGI recently because Brian told me that ATI is
purchasing XGI. Looking around it looks like the source code for XGI still
hasn't completely seen the light of day.

The ATI Free Software drivers seem to be thought of as a bad joke.

There are no Free Software drivers from nVidia. Perhaps X has some anyway.

I put my money behind Free Software and purchase hardware that is
supported by Free Software. In the last couple of years it's been cool
that we can finally buy stuff that actually lists GNU/Linux support on the
box! Sometimes a *BSD or three is listed as well.

I am actually ready to purchase a couple of video cards. I'd like at least
one to be pretty good with strong GL support. I might be putting together
a Myth box or 3 as well, so will need capture cards as well as display
cards.

BTW, I think Broadcom is in Scottsdale. Should we go picket the office for
a few days? :)

ciao,

der.hans

> When I got into computers in the early 80's I had control of my computer. As 
> the years went by that slipped away as MS and hardware vendors did me the 
> "favor" of taking those needless details of out my hands. As a coder I never 
> appreciated it the way some normal computer consumers did.
>
> When I started using Linux ('96?) I felt an elation, because once again I 
> owned my computer! I bought it, and I should be able to do with it as I 
> wanted.
>
> Now vendors are using the same tricks to corrupt Linux. If you're using 
> ndiswrapper or any binary driver, then you're losing control of the hardware 
> you bought and paid for. You're supporting vendors which will not allow open 
> source developers access to the hardware. You are encouraging proprietary, 
> vendor-only solutions.
>
> You should care about this! If you buy something and it's not supported by 
> open source community drivers then take it back to the store! Write a letter 
> to the vendor telling them how disappointed you are that you can't use their 
> product due to lack of proper documentation! Don't settle for having a minor 
> convenience right now. Your freedom to use the hardware you purchase is at 
> stake.
>
>
> Daniel Brown wrote:
>
>> You might try purchasing a Orinoco PCMCIA wireless card, I have a similar 
>> laptop zv5030 and have never been able to get the integrated wireless to 
>> work. Have had no problem with my using this brand of PCMCIA wireless card 
>> with Fedora Core 3 & 4.
>> Josh Coffman wrote:
>> 
>>> Yeah, I've watched the threads on the fedora list, but
>>> nothing seems to have been clarified for me.
>>> 
>>> I'm using and really liking FC5, but the ndiswrapper
>>> seems to have taken a step backwards. Or at least
>>> something with kernel modules. (the non-gpl thing
>>> maybe?)
>>> 
>>> BTW, this is on a pavilion zv5440 with a broadcom
>>> 43xx. I will eventually try the bcm43xx driver.
>>> 
>>> Using either the livna ndiswapper packages or
>>> compiling from source, I have the same problem. I
>>> don't get an entry in modprob.conf unless I amnually
>>> enter it. So system-network-config doesn't see
>>> ndiswrapper(wlan0) as a type of wireless device it can
>>> manage.
>>> 
>>> When I enter "alias wlan0 ndiswrapper" in
>>> modprob.conf, I can add wlan0 in sys-net-cfg but it
>>> can't actually manage it and causes NetwrokManager to
>>> lose control of it unless I remove and reinstall
>>> ndiswrapper.
>>> 
>>> Anyone understand what is going on and how I could fix
>>> it? I'm fine with using cli to manage it, but my
>>> family uses it too.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> &#9556;&#9552;&#9552;&#9559;
>>> &#9553; j&#8776; &#9562;&#9552;&#9552;&#9565;
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>
>
>

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