--Signature=_Wed__5_Nov_2003_23_32_43_+0100_4LE4z4CnWv=OEn0L
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@tensor.3miasto.net> wrote:

> > That's not really true. I can name a half dozen devices I'd like to
> > run but cannot, including USB 802.11 interfaces.
 
> that's true. is it because there's no hardware documentation available
> or just no one wrote them?

AFAIK it's usually something in between. A device contains several
chips and the vendor isn't allowed to offer the documentation due
to copyright reasons and/or patents. They're afraid that someone
produces cheaper clones before the investments have been payed off.
 
> if second - better to get time writing it instead of writing emulation
> layer.

I don't think one contradicts the other. If the emulation layer works
effectively, you can use new hardware *at once*, not just some month
later if someone wrote a driver. Have you ever used Linux emulation?
It's not like Linux emulation is crucial but it's very nice that I
can use it. It's not like everything is open-source.
 
> if first - looks like manufacturers are not interested in NetBSD
> users...

Well, maybe they haven't even heard about NetBSD at all. Saying "If
you don't give me a driver for my OS or at least the specs, I won't
by your hardware!" doesn't even work for Linux - which (I assume)
has a bigger marketshare than NetBSD. Also the availability of drivers
doesn't mean the manufacturer is interested in NetBSD or will
officially provide any drivers for his products.
  
> (WET-11's are damn cheap now.... about 70$ in Poland and connects
> through 10baseT ethernet - up to 300 metres of cable from
> computer/switch to radioport).

Fine. So what? You don't always the choice, especially if you have
a limited budget and/or if use a notebook.
 
-- 
Christian

--Signature=_Wed__5_Nov_2003_23_32_43_+0100_4LE4z4CnWv=OEn0L
Content-Type: application/pgp-signature

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (NetBSD)

iD8DBQE/qXqT0KQix3oyIMcRAjZYAKCv6XGsePzzPrwkb0YaAv6/j+wqtACfaOj5
AVPCmB2pcsAx3ewZkoRMC5g=
=SnNu
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

--Signature=_Wed__5_Nov_2003_23_32_43_+0100_4LE4z4CnWv=OEn0L--