[linux-audio-user] Re: RME is no more

Rick B zajelo3 at cfl.rr.com
Mon Nov 29 15:29:59 EST 2004


Marek Peteraj wrote:

>On Mon, 2004-11-29 at 16:59, Jack O'Quin wrote:
>  
>
>>Joe Hartley <jh at brainiac.com> writes:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>I think if RME believes releasing the data on their Firewire audio
>>>poses a threat to their competitive edge, they probably have a point.
>>>      
>>>
>>Right or wrong, it is their business and their choice.
>>
>>    
>>
>>>While I'm a huge fan of OSS, I have to respect when companies like
>>>NVidia release binary-only drivers for a device.  I'm just glad that
>>>they do, when so many companies will only release for Windoze, or for
>>>Windoze and Mac only.  I think NVidia's support, for example, is as good
>>>for Linux as it is for any other platform.  Do all bugs get fixed?
>>>Nope, and they don't in 99% of OSS projects, either.
>>>      
>>>
>>I believe in free speech, and this includes the right to remain
>>silent.  Insisting that RME release code when they would rather not
>>violates *their* freedom. 
>>    
>>
>
>Jack, i think it rather violates the freedom of their *customers* to use
>the product they've purchased with the OS of their choice. 
>
>  
>
>> I value libre software for being minimally
>>coercive to both authors and users.
>>    
>>
>
>Basically i think that people here are just *too* polite to stand up and
>thrash the companies for being careless. Because it's how it is. 
>
>Marek
>
>
>  
>
I have a question. Since they already have a Mac OSX driver for the 
Firewire 800, why can't they just port it to Linux? It shouldn't be that 
hard. Am I wrong about this? Of course it would be closed source but at 
least people would have the option of using that interface on Linux. If 
I'm right about it not being that hard to port the driver, wouldn't that 
indicate that there is another reason for not providing Linux support 
for that interface?

                Rick B



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