GP2X [rant] Why Isn't Gph Embracing The Dev Community?

[bjimba]

anyways... progress is slowly being made on the issue. I think I will go learn more about linux module programing (any usefull www links???)

Here's a good starting point, especially since we're dealing with a 2.4 kernel:

http://www.tldp.org/LDP/lkmpg/2.4/html/index.html

Oh, and as far as whether we should use the "official" kernel/firmware or not -- a lot of this could be cured by allowing the kernel to be loaded from SD. This would require some mods to U-Boot, I expect, and I'm a touch paranoid about doing that. This is why I wish I had a GP2X emulator running on my Linux desktop -- the equivalent of POSE for the Palm. I've started checking into the viability of creating such a beast, and find that QEMU already emulates an ARM processor.

 

[timbobsteve]

MiniMoose: SD Card support is one of the main problems alot of ppl are having. Would we have to use/write an SD card module for Open2X?

I have seen a couple of open source drivers for SD card stacks.
This site sounds the most promising for info on Open SD Stacks:

http://mmc.drzeus.cx/wiki/Welcome

hmmm I certainly hope that we can overcome the SD card problems... I hate not being able to use my current cards for flashing etc. (even with the flashing tools)

Anyways.... hope the code comes forth soon.

 

[Squidge]

We already have our own open-source SD code that is far more reliable than the stuff GPH/Dignsys use

Rob Brown wrote it from the ground up, and people in #gp2xdev helped to test it, provide debug info etc, and generally make it very compatible.

 

[Muncher666]

Is this part of Open2x? Perhaps you should send a letter to GPH telling them that your firmware already works perfectly.

Allan.

 

[Squidge]

It's not part of Open2X, it's part of the HH-mode SDK, but there's no reason why it can't be used on it's own.

I do however think that sending any kind of letters on the subject of firmwares to gph would be a very bad idea at the moment...

 

[Muncher666]

T'was in jest, I swear it. I wasn't honestly saying you should.

The documention for sdk2x is snazzy.

Allan.

 

[thebohemian]

@MiniMoose: My posting was not intended to tease you and if it did: Sorry!

But there is one thing I cannot understand: There are a hell of a lot of things one could do on this planet to make it a better place and you decided to care for GPH's business strategies? I mean I am very thankful that they used this Linux-based ARM-device and all that: This is really cool. But it should not be anyones mission to correct their business strategy!?!?

And btw: If Open2X's kernel becomes supercool und featurefull GPH/DigniSys can *always* take those bits of code - even without asking.

Well, currently they are violating the GPL and those guys that tell us we have to use their proprietary SDIO stack do as well. I think all this 'intellectual property' fuss around the SD standard is just to cement the Sandisk monopoly.

 

[timbobsteve]

We already have our own open-source SD code that is far more reliable than the stuff GPH/Dignsys use

Rob Brown wrote it from the ground up, and people in #gp2xdev helped to test it, provide debug info etc, and generally make it very compatible.

​

Wow... most impressive. Did he have to reverse engineer it another stack to get the feelf or it, or did he use the leaked info on the net? It seems like the SD format is a highly internal 'trade secret' kind of module. Props to Rob anyways!

 

[timbobsteve]

And btw: If Open2X's kernel becomes supercool und featurefull GPH/DigniSys can *always* take those bits of code - even without asking.

And the problem is.... I am sure all devs would like to help out GPH... just as long as they give credit where credit is due... AND release the source with each new firmware.

 

[DJWillis]

Wow... most impressive. Did he have to reverse engineer it another stack to get the feelf or it, or did he use the leaked info on the net? It seems like the SD format is a highly internal 'trade secret' kind of module. Props to Rob anyways!

​

Quite sure it's a clean room driver only using public docs and hardware poking. Rob will never admit it but it’s a damm fine piece of work.

 

[MiniMoose]

Quite sure it's a clean room driver only using public docs and hardware poking. Rob will never admit it but it’s a damm fine piece of work.

​

Most, if not all, public SD docs were illegaly leaked. Any software based on them is a legal liability and should probably be avoided.

That said, the chances that any lawsuits will be filed are approximately zero.

I'm not trying to correct GPH's business strategy. I'm just criticizing them for not seeing the advantage of having an army of volunteer programmers fixing their firmware.

I don't care if GPH steals the Open2X kernel and makes it the firmware. They'd get a lot better PR if they'd just acknowledge that we exist and want to help.

[Edit: to clarify that I meant docs about the SD standard]

 

[DijiTao]

And btw: If Open2X's kernel becomes supercool und featurefull GPH/DigniSys can *always* take those bits of code - even without asking.

And the problem is.... I am sure all devs would like to help out GPH... just as long as they give credit where credit is due... AND release the source with each new firmware.

​

How would developers feel about that? If GPH ripped off your contributions to Open2X and gave you no credit, and only made source releases of the official kernel when they found it convient, and only released the parts they found convient to release, would you feel a bit pissed on?

 

[pburger]

anyways... progress is slowly being made on the issue. I think I will go learn more about linux module programing (any usefull www links???)

Here's a good starting point, especially since we're dealing with a 2.4 kernel:

http://www.tldp.org/LDP/lkmpg/2.4/html/index.html

Another good resource:

Linux Device Drivers

 

[timbobsteve]

How would developers feel about that? If GPH ripped off your contributions to Open2X and gave you no credit, and only made source releases of the official kernel when they found it convient, and only released the parts they found convient to release, would you feel a bit pissed on?

​

Read it again DijiTao!

And the problem is??? I am sure all devs would like to help out GPH... just as long as they give credit where credit is due

​

 

[Hanz™]

How would developers feel about that? If GPH ripped off your contributions to Open2X and gave you no credit, and only made source releases of the official kernel when they found it convient, and only released the parts they found convient to release, would you feel a bit pissed on?

​

Read it again DijiTao!

And the problem is??? I am sure all devs would like to help out GPH... just as long as they give credit where credit is due

​

​

I don't think that would ever happen! :lol:

 

[DijiTao]

How would developers feel about that? If GPH ripped off your contributions to Open2X and gave you no credit, and only made source releases of the official kernel when they found it convient, and only released the parts they found convient to release, would you feel a bit pissed on?

​

Read it again DijiTao!

And the problem is??? I am sure all devs would like to help out GPH... just as long as they give credit where credit is due

​

​

That's why I asked the question I did. Really that's the situation we're in right now, GPH has ripped off code and not given credit were it is due. I'm just really confused about how some people have taken this "fuck the gpl" attitude - how they don't see how wrong it is to steal other peoples work, give nothing back, and to then profit off it as well. What this makes me think is what dev is going to continue to work on the GP2X if this situation continues? How would everybody feel if GPH ripped off DrMD, gave Resey no credit, made a few fixes to it, pre-install it on every GP2X they sell, and advertised the GP2X as having out of the box Genesis emulation as a major feature?

 

[timbobsteve]

True that... I understand what you are saying when you relate it to emus and games. The way I see it though GPH has only voided GPL in terms of the kernel and if they were to comply straight away and then start incorporating ppls fixes and including them in the doco for it then I don't think anyone would have a problem with it all.

In terms of the kernel, if they took code and gave credit, I think devers would be happy. Linux kernels are meant to be community driven.

But you are most deffinately right on the games side of things. I would have to personaly go to Korea and sit infront of the GPH HQ with a picket sign until it was reversed.

 

[bjimba]

The way I see it though GPH has only voided GPL in terms of the kernel

What's the situation with mplayer? It appears to be a modified version, and I don't recall any patchset being released.

 

[Squidge]

Most, if not all, public SD docs were illegaly leaked. Any software based on them is a legal liability and should probably be avoided.

​

As I understand it, Rob used a combination of publically available documents for his SD driver. Some released by GPH (Magiceye's docs) and some that you can download from Sandisks website. No docs were downloaded from "dodgy" sources, so it's doubtful that the documents were illegally leaked.

 

[timbobsteve]

bjimba: not sure... I haven't seen any of the mplayer source.. so i take it that it is also not released yet. If GPH are aiming for compliance like we are led to believe they are, then we should see the modified mplayer source soon too... but I wouldn't hold my breath.