I didn't read/. articles more than that main page announcement, and decided to be initiative today. I sometimes tell to Hardware Vendors about that Certification, so they might even notify it's existence.
And I do this because I like to see more Open Hardware. I like to see the kind of future where every Hardware Vendor must release specs of their product - if they want to get significant market share. That's my share of doing something toward it.
That's my copy of feedback to that Vendor:
I read from http://slashdot.org that you have Linux drivers and even Open Sources. Great! I'm not a coder, so I didn't even checked the depht of your hardware documentation, but if there are _all_ information that is needed to program drivers to you products you can get Open Hardware Certification (http://www.openhardware.org), it includes right to be included the Catalog of products with that Certification. There is not many products, but you have possibility to make that certification count.
I certainly would buy products where drivers are available surely in future. At least by coding (or paying someone else to code) those by self, when using good documentation.
I have not any Natural keyboard, but I have had opportunities to try few. One thing I noticed, and that would bug me if I ever buy M$ Natural.
Problem is in arrow keys:
Older M$ model is just like in standard keyboards, and there is nothing wrong.
[__] [__][__][__]
In newer M$ Naturals arrow keys are like this:
[__] [__][__] [__]
Can you imagine using "three finger technique" in this new layout, without modifying your hand!
Ok, this just one small (or not so small) thing to consider, depending of keyboard usage. I recommend some testing arrow keys also, not just main keyboard.
When using only one finger, it doesn't matter thought.
At first, well... that's a start. Do we want, that there is any this kind of certification? If we doesn't care any of this, then, do anyone seriously think companies cares if we don't.
I think this certification is good, and clear way to tell how open company is publishing devices specs, without any catches.
Of cource we can silence that certification to the death, if it's totally bad. But somehow I think it's clear, compact way of telling how "secret" some devices are, and how good support manufacturer wants give to own products.
Are these open ala Nvidia and Sblive, "Here's some code but no specs", or are the open ala Matrox g200/400, where you actually have specs and can do useful work beyond optimizing what they give you?
Do manufacturers even know that Certification exists, do they even care? - If not, it's because nobody asks that certification. Would you like to use it as definition of openess... like GPL is now? - Then we must start using it, then others start asking about it ("Huh, what's that?"), and perhaps it can be become well known denifition.
Slashdot Mirror
I didn't read /. articles more than that main page announcement, and decided to be initiative today. I sometimes tell to Hardware Vendors about that Certification, so they might even notify it's existence.
And I do this because I like to see more Open Hardware. I like to see the kind of future where every Hardware Vendor must release specs of their product - if they want to get significant market share. That's my share of doing something toward it.
That's my copy of feedback to that Vendor:
I have not any Natural keyboard, but I have had opportunities to try few. One thing I noticed,
and that would bug me if I ever buy M$ Natural.
Problem is in arrow keys:
Older M$ model is just like in standard keyboards,
and there is nothing wrong.
[__]
[__][__][__]
In newer M$ Naturals arrow keys are like this:
[__]
[__][__]
[__]
Can you imagine using "three finger technique" in
this new layout, without modifying your hand!
Ok, this just one small (or not so small) thing to
consider, depending of keyboard usage. I recommend some testing arrow keys also, not just main keyboard.
When using only one finger, it doesn't matter thought.
Jarkko
At first, well ... that's a start. Do we want, that there is any this kind of certification? If we doesn't care any of this, then, do anyone seriously think companies cares if we don't.
I think this certification is good, and clear way to tell how open company is publishing devices specs, without any catches.
Of cource we can silence that certification to the death, if it's totally bad. But somehow I think it's clear, compact way of telling how "secret" some devices are, and how good support manufacturer wants give to own products.
I didn't seen any Creative Labs products mentioned in Open Hardware Catalog. So, are those really open hardware, or do they just pretend it?
Ah, You might mean: Are those Open Hardware?
I guess not, at least there is not any common video card in Open Hardware Catalog.
Do manufacturers even know that Certification exists, do they even care? ... like GPL is now?
- If not, it's because nobody asks that certification.
Would you like to use it as definition of openess
- Then we must start using it, then others start asking about it ("Huh, what's that?"), and perhaps it can be become well known denifition.
It's up to us