Intel Linux Driver Version 1.0 For Centrino WLAN

Posted by timothy on Tuesday November 16, 2004 @01:27PM from the sansabelt dept.

Werner Heuser writes "Intel has just released Linux driver version 1.0.0 for the Centrino PRO/Wireless 2100 chipset. Almost two years, since the first Centrino generation with Pentium-M Banias has reached the market, a stable issue of a native Open Source driver has become available. The Wireless LAN driver for the current Centrino generation with Pentium-M Dothan and PRO/Wireless 2200BG chipset is still at version 0.13. This driver is intented to support also the third generation of the Intel miniPCI WLAN adapter named PRO/Wireless 2915ABG. Though Intel intended these projects to be community efforts, there are some possible working constraints. Mainly, no hardware documentation is available."

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Hardly Free by cjsnell · 2004-11-16 14:46 · Score: 4, Informative

Use of this driver requires that you download Intel firmware which is covered by a very non-free and restrictive license.

I urge you to write to Intel and let them know that you are dissatisfied with their license and that you want the ability to freely distribute their firmware.

Please note that nobody is asking them to open the source of their firmware--they just need to make it so that free operating systems can distribute their firmware without having to force their users to agree to this licensing.