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Free/Open Source Software Hardware Requirements?

Posted by Cliff on from the flip-side-of-the-ole-chestnut dept.

Bender asks: "Most on Slashdot seem to be concerned with getting Free/Open Source software to be compatible with hardware (firmware, register sets, etc). My question is from the other side of the table: I'm in the hardware business and I'm wondering if there are any central guidelines to better guarantee compatibility with Linux/*BSD. As an example, to guarantee that our hardware runs Microsoft Windows, we have to conform to the Windows Logo Program Requirements. These requirements dictate (among other things) firmware interfaces, debug ports, and DRM. Some of these requirements, if not implemented carefully, could trigger incompatibilities with non-Microsoft operating systems. Is there a Linux/*BSD equivalent to the Microsoft requirements to allow hardware designers to build OS agnostic systems?"

6 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. Follow the windows guide, by Trigun · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    but skip the DRM part. Or if you want to release the specs for the DRM part, by all means...

  2. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    The answer is "No," the open source community is not that organized.

    Sorry, I had to post this one as AC. I'm not a troll; this is my honest opinion...I'm just too much of a coward to do it using my username.

  3. Troll Story Alert: Congrats to Bender by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Bender, I must congratulate you for getting this troll posted to /. as a "story". The point is that as soon as you mentioned the requirement of DRM to get MS Windows logo certification, you pulled up the drawbridge around the hardware you work for regarding Free/Open OSes. How is hardware that is supposed to implement DRM EVER going to be able to work with Linux or *BSD? DRM and Free/Open cannot co-exist in free distributions. Sure, Novell could package it in but they would no longer offer a truly free OS distribution. Well done Bender. You are truly a "Bender" in the most British sense of the word.

  4. Re:change your fucking sig, asshole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    You are either 1. Gay or 2. A woman. In any event, you need a man to slap you around some. You talk to much.

  5. Re:...no just a run of the mill bigot by Lehk228 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    are you a moron or do you just play one on slashdot? it's a play off an old joke "hot and black" and a newer variant "old and bitter" it's also on a tshirthell.com shirt.

    --
    Snowden and Manning are heroes.
  6. You spelled "compatability" wrong! by toofast · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I've been reading Slashdot for years, and it's spelled CompatAbility..

    Just thought you ought to know, because you look like an idiot who kan't spel.