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271 points pykello | 2 comments | | HN request time: 0.013s | source
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mifydev ◴[] No.45171662[source]
OpenWRT is such a good os for a router - simple but configurable UI, works reliably, I wish router companies would just ship it by default
replies(2): >>45171681 #>>45190471 #
mifydev ◴[] No.45171681[source]
But then you get annoying firmware providers like Broadcom who refuse to write OSS drivers for linux and a lot of work is being spent on the reverse engineering
replies(5): >>45171723 #>>45172019 #>>45172203 #>>45172879 #>>45175435 #
echelon ◴[] No.45171723[source]
Can we accept a pragmatic world where we have OSS + binary blobs?

That's better than a fully commercial world or a fully "pure" world with no functionality.

replies(5): >>45171763 #>>45172498 #>>45172904 #>>45175467 #>>45176078 #
1. wtallis ◴[] No.45172498[source]
GPU vendors have come to the realization that the in-kernel driver needs to be open-source, but the userspace portion can be closed-source. There's just really no good reason to accept a design where outdated closed-source drivers could keep you from running a current kernel. WiFi NIC vendors have for generations been moving more complexity into the closed-source firmware blob that runs on the NIC's own processor core(s), so there's no good reason for the kernel driver to remain closed-source.
replies(1): >>45172625 #
2. zokier ◴[] No.45172625[source]
Broadcom has been doing FullMAC designs for over a decade now, and that is exactly what you describe: moving all the functionality into firmware and having thin opensource kernel driver