New High Priority Project: PowerVR drivers

[Gerix]

Wow, I guess I didn't realize that the Pandora's chipset is in the same series as my netbook's.

 

[DavidBowman]

I didn't say it was absolutely extreme, I said "more extreme", as in much greater. Vminko's attempt to correct me actually helps illustrate the point: to the people that this matters to, open source means absolute freedom, closed source means no freedom, and that's the only thing that will really be gained with an open source driver: peace of mind for those that care.

Correct.

Hey, it's cool bro! But you know Free Software and Open Source Software are two very different ideas, rite? One is not a more extreme version of the other.

Also Correct.


The problem with this sort of free vs. open software debate is similar to religious debates: there are beliefs involved and people will be quick to bristle when they see something that does not fit in with their own value set.


Where's Richard Stallman with his katanas when you need him?

 

[Vitel]

The WiFi driver uses binary firmware.

No it doesn't. It was replaced long, long ago.


edit: or wait... firmware? What are we talking about here?

http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=openpandora.oe.git;a=tree;f=recipes/pandora-system/pandora-firmware;h=91b5671d75bd7bf90192dc3c97aa9861edef4fbd;hb=HEAD

This should help the whole GMA 500 issue, right? Not a Pandora problem, but still relevant to my interests.

https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/2/22/183

 

[DoubleDash]

Gor dangit, before hitting submit I tried three different wordings to try and find the right way to say it without offending anybody or sounding pretentious and it was taken offensively anyway. I didn't say it was absolutely extreme, I said "more extreme", as in much greater. Vminko's attempt to correct me actually helps illustrate the point: to the people that this matters to, open source means absolute freedom, closed source means no freedom, and that's the only thing that will really be gained with an open source driver: peace of mind for those that care.

"Gor dangit" ....that made me laugh. So hard to phrase everything so it's "perfect" and not misconstrued.





Kudos to those expressing disparate views in a restrained manner.

 

[WizardStan]

http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=openpandora.oe.git;a=tree;f=recipes/pandora-system/pandora-firmware;h=91b5671d75bd7bf90192dc3c97aa9861edef4fbd;hb=HEAD

I'm still confused. If this is a binary blob, what the heck has notaz been working on to give us updated wifi drivers?

 

[notaz]

http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=openpandora.oe.git;a=tree;f=recipes/pandora-system/pandora-firmware;h=91b5671d75bd7bf90192dc3c97aa9861edef4fbd;hb=HEAD

I'm still confused. If this is a binary blob, what the heck has notaz been working on to give us updated wifi drivers?

The wifi chip has an ARM9 CPU that runs code which does low level stuff like enabling RF amps and shifting out bits. That code is called the firmware, it is provided by TI only in closed binary form and it runs in wifi chip's RAM.


The open Linux driver only uploads the firmware, does some setup and sends commands to that ARM9 which does all the work.

 

[Aimless E]

http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=openpandora.oe.git;a=tree;f=recipes/pandora-system/pandora-firmware;h=91b5671d75bd7bf90192dc3c97aa9861edef4fbd;hb=HEAD

I'm still confused. If this is a binary blob, what the heck has notaz been working on to give us updated wifi drivers?

The driver that interfaces with the kernel is open source. The firmware that tells the wifi chip what to do is not. I have had several wireless adapters that needed the closed firmware to make the open source driver work. I think its to cut down the manufacturing cost of the wireless device.

 

[Stradian]

Regarding the PowerVR drivers, say we did make a complete OpenGL drivers. In the end it doesn't affect end users, However, it would only affect porting. Sure, it would be more plug-n-play friendly when porting, but that may be the true beneficent.


I post some PowerVR drivers in the development section merely for reference, if any is interested.


I will also point out that a driver is alot of work, and that a intermediate between OpenGL and GLES layer may be more appropriate.