Comments on: FSF Appeals to Hardware Vendors for Fun and Profit! http://www.manchicken.com/2007/ranting/fsf-appeals-to-hardware-vendors-for-fun-and-profit.html Rantings of a Questionably Sane Chicken Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:17:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: manchicken http://www.manchicken.com/2007/ranting/fsf-appeals-to-hardware-vendors-for-fun-and-profit.html#comment-129 manchicken Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:41:37 +0000 http://blog.notsosoft.net/2007/ranting/fsf-appeals-to-hardware-vendors-for-fun-and-profit.html#comment-129 Kris Marsh: I'm afraid that we disagree on the need for different degrees of certification. If a piece of hardware requires non-free drivers, or is lacking quality drivers because of pressure or dismissal from the hardware manufacturer we should not buy from that manufacturer. I say there are two degrees necessary: <ul><li>This hardware supports free software</li><li>This hardware does not support free software</li></ul> Hardware manufacturers don't need to support non-free or restrictive hardware in their products. If they want market support from the Free Software community, they should sell us products that meet our needs... not those of others. After all, we're the ones buying the hardware. Kris Marsh:
I’m afraid that we disagree on the need for different degrees of certification. If a piece of hardware requires non-free drivers, or is lacking quality drivers because of pressure or dismissal from the hardware manufacturer we should not buy from that manufacturer.

I say there are two degrees necessary:

  • This hardware supports free software
  • This hardware does not support free software

Hardware manufacturers don’t need to support non-free or restrictive hardware in their products. If they want market support from the Free Software community, they should sell us products that meet our needs… not those of others. After all, we’re the ones buying the hardware.

]]> By: Kris Marsh http://www.manchicken.com/2007/ranting/fsf-appeals-to-hardware-vendors-for-fun-and-profit.html#comment-127 Kris Marsh Sat, 03 Mar 2007 12:52:24 +0000 http://blog.notsosoft.net/2007/ranting/fsf-appeals-to-hardware-vendors-for-fun-and-profit.html#comment-127 Something simple that (I think) would do wonders is a "Linux Certified" service, with a nice little sticker to put on hardware packaging. Coupled closely with the Free Linux Development offer, the FSF could provide a Linux Certification for hardware, I think it would provide a service that is easily available to a hardware company. More importantly, it means we can go and buy a piece of hardware, and ask if they have any that are Linux Certified. Eventually - or hopefully - with enough pressure and interest from the consumer side, companies will start pushing back at the hardware vendors, and visibility into this market would slowly start to become apparent. At least three certification levels would be ideal: Linux Certified (Gold) - A free (-speech) driver is available, and is merged into the Linux kernel. i.e. at least one distro should work with this device "out of the box". Instructions are available on how to download and compile this driver manually. Linux Certified (Silver) - A free driver is being developed, is partially available and is "usable". i.e. most of the main functionality of the device is present. Linux Certified (Bronze) - A driver is available, as per Gold, but the driver is not free/open source. For example, the nVidia cards could be certified as Bronze. Some wireless cards could be given Silver (works, but needs proprietory drivers for WPA). It gives a reasonably good incentive for hardware company to adopt at least a Silver certification - many devices out there already have a free driver available, so it wont cost the hardware company anything to claim Linux (partial) compatibility. Does anyone know if something like this is being set up? Something simple that (I think) would do wonders is a “Linux Certified” service, with a nice little sticker to put on hardware packaging.

Coupled closely with the Free Linux Development offer, the FSF could provide a Linux Certification for hardware, I think it would provide a service that is easily available to a hardware company. More importantly, it means we can go and buy a piece of hardware, and ask if they have any that are Linux Certified.

Eventually - or hopefully - with enough pressure and interest from the consumer side, companies will start pushing back at the hardware vendors, and visibility into this market would slowly start to become apparent.

At least three certification levels would be ideal:

Linux Certified (Gold) - A free (-speech) driver is available, and is merged into the Linux kernel. i.e. at least one distro should work with this device “out of the box”. Instructions are available on how to download and compile this driver manually.

Linux Certified (Silver) - A free driver is being developed, is partially available and is “usable”. i.e. most of the main functionality of the device is present.

Linux Certified (Bronze) - A driver is available, as per Gold, but the driver is not free/open source.

For example, the nVidia cards could be certified as Bronze. Some wireless cards could be given Silver (works, but needs proprietory drivers for WPA).

It gives a reasonably good incentive for hardware company to adopt at least a Silver certification - many devices out there already have a free driver available, so it wont cost the hardware company anything to claim Linux (partial) compatibility.

Does anyone know if something like this is being set up?

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