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Blog News Kernel Log - Coming in 2.6.31 - Part 1: New Wi-Fi drivers and other network-related changes | Kernel Log - Coming in 2.6.31 - Part 1: New Wi-Fi drivers and other network-related changes | | Print | |
| Written by Akiba | |
| Friday, 03 July 2009 | |
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[Akiba] The Siemens guys are quickly building out 802.15.4 support in Linux. Will Zigbee be left in the dust with regards to Linux support? It's up to the Zigbee Alliance to decide...[/Akiba] Linux 2.6.31 will be IEEE 802.15.4 capable and will include a new Wi-Fi driver for Intel chips. Developers have also added support for recent Ralink Wi-Fi components and revamped the Rfkill framework. The Wi-fi stack and drivers are now better able to use newer power saving technologies. With the release of the first pre-release version of Linux 2.6.31, the kernel hackers last week brought the merge window to a close, heralding an end to the adoption of major changes in the main development line of the next kernel version. Kernel hackers generally restrict themselves to introducing minor changes only into the main development tree during the second phase of the development cycle, so as to fix as many existing bugs as possible and avoid introducing new ones. ... Developed primarily by developers working for Siemens, support for the IEEE 802.15.4 data transfer protocol for Personal Area Networks (WPAN) has also now found its way into the main Linux development tree. Hits: 7339 Trackback(0)
Comments (4)
  written by Akiba, July 03, 2009
Really? Wow, it's great to hear that the Zigbee Alliance is willing to work with the developers on this. Not sure what explicit permission means, but at least things are moving in the right direction
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 written by Jon Smirl, July 03, 2009
ZigBee alliance could add a GPL exception to their license. Say that the spec is free to use in any GPL licensed products.
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written by Jon Smirl, July 03, 2009
Note that BSD is a superset of GPL, if ZigBee adds a GPL exception it will effectively convert any BSD licensed code into GPL code.
They won't add a BSD exception, a BSD exception is the same thing as simply removing the restriction. report abuse
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Kernel Log - Coming in 2.6.31 - Part 1: New Wi-Fi drivers and other network-related changes
Jul 06 2009 09:23:19 This thread discusses the Content article: Kernel Log - Coming in 2.6.31 - Part 1: New Wi-Fi drivers and other network-related changes
First I want to say: "Lets hope so! It would be great for Zigbee if this happens". Second: There's a real chance this will not happen, this is caused e.g. by RAND. Some companies involved in Zigbee allow Zigbee member companies to use their IP, but due to the RAND clause they can redeem this right when they like.. Possibly they will not allow Zigbee to "go public" because their IP will then go public.. |
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Re:Kernel Log - Coming in 2.6.31 - Part 1: New Wi-Fi drivers and other network-related changes
Jul 06 2009 09:32:35 I'm hoping it will happen also, but open source is a giant leap of faith for most of the companies in the Alliance. They should understand that if they want the protocol to take off, they'll need to tap into the grassroots support of the people developing for Linux and embedded projects (like FreakLabs...ahem). Open source projects bring along a certain level of trust and transparency that can't be matched by traditional corporations trying to protect their IP.
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By the end of this year we will hopefully see some ZigBee support in the kernel