[linux-audio-user] Interesting Tidbit: The Midas XL8 uses Linux

[Jan Depner]

On Fri, 2006-06-09 at 22:33 -0400, Lee Revell wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-06-09 at 22:12 -0400, M P Smoak wrote:
> > So a company that wanted to have a proprietary connection to linux
> > could write an open source blob and a closed connection to the blob
> > for their closed hardware/software?  ie linux remains useable for
> > companies.
> > 
> 
> Not if the closed part was specifically developed to run on Linux.  The
> key is whether it's a "derived work" as far as copyright law is
> concerned or not.
> 

    You can develop a closed package to specifically run on Linux.  It
is not in violation of the GPL.  This is the old Micr$oft "GPL is a
cancer" FUD.  What you can't do is use GPL code in a closed application.


> If there's IP in your hardware than you absolutely cannot risk
> disclosing (maybe because you went for trade secret protection rather
> than patenting it) you can put the secret part of the driver in
> userspace and keep it closed.
> 
> > If not, I'm having a hard time seeing this as a positive situation. 
> > More like alsa shooting themselves in the foot. 
> > 
> > I'm not a programmer or audio pro;  just a linux user who advocates
> > open source and avenues of co-existence with businesses. 
> 
> Read LKML sometime, there are tons of large companies releasing open
> source drivers for their hardware - Intel, AMD, IBM, Cisco, Via,
> Toshiba, Fujitsu, Veritas, Novell, SGI, plus zillions of smaller
> companies like Pathscale, Emulex, Mellanox.  For audio there's M-Audio,
> RME, AudioScience, EchoAudio, Digigram, etc.  I could go on and on -
> these are just the ones I know off the top of my head.
> 


    M-Audio, RME, AudioScience, EchoAudio, Digigram do not release open
source drivers for their hardware.  Neither, AFAIK, do any of the
companies listed above those (with the possible exception of Novell).
What these companies do is make their specs available to the OS
community so that the community can write the drivers.


-- 
Jan 'Evil Twin' Depner
The Fuzzy Dice
http://myweb.cableone.net/eviltwin69/fuzzy.html


"As we enjoy great advantages from the invention of others, we should be 
glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and 
this we should do freely and generously."

Benjamin Franklin, on declining patents offered by the governor of 
Pennsylvania for his "Pennsylvania Fireplace", c. 1744