I'd wager that if an emulation layer can be written for Windows binary
device drivers, we'll learn a lot more about how devices work and, as a
consequence, it will then become easier to write native drivers for many
more devices.
	The question is, how hard will it be to write a device driver
environment that would actually work?  I imagine certain classes of drivers
would need to be attacked first.  I.e. USB drivers and then network
drivers, etc.  Unfortunately, network drivers are probably the easiest, but
the least interesting because there are already a lot of native network
drivers for many network cards under NetBSD.  More interesting, to me, at
least, would be Windows drivers for exotic USB devices.
-Brian

On Nov 6, 11:54am, Greywolf wrote:
} Subject: Re: windows drivers on netbsd?
} Thus spake Steven M. Bellovin ("SMB> ") sometime Today...
} 
} SMB> We all agree that native NetBSD drivers are much better.  But they're
} SMB> not always available, either because no one is interested in writing
} SMB> one or because the manufacturer won't release enough information to
} SMB> permit one to be written.
} 
} The former is a sad state of affairs, and a pity, really; the latter
} is probably becoming increasingly more common and, while frustrating,
} is still a much better reason for adapting to other drivers and letting
} them be run.
} 
} 				--*greywolf;
} --
} NetBSD: SIMMs Like Good Code.
>-- End of excerpt from Greywolf