Re: [Announce] Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 802.11b driver

[Bill Davidsen]

vda wrote:

> *FLAME ALERT*
> /me is slowly getting mad about his prism54 11g hardware
> and its firmware, with neither firmware authors nor documentation
> for this pile of silicon crap nowhere in sight
>
> What's so cool about having binary firmware? Bugs are bugs,
> and you won't be able to even see bugs, less fix, in it.
> I don't like being at the mercy of firmware authors.

There are two common reasons for binary firmware:
1 - it runs on some sort of a state machine implemented in an ASIC or 
other device for which you have no manuals or assembler.
2 - since these devices are regulated all to hell by the FCC and other 
non-technical groups balancing technical advice with political pressure, 
a user might code the device out of spec, causing some manner of legal 
hassle.

I don't know if (1) applies here, but I'd bet (2) is applicable.

Let's be happy that we have a driver and treat the device as a black 
box. There are people paid to know enought details to write firmware, 
I'm happy to treat NICs and CD/DVD burners with the "buy good and update 
firmware at the first problem." Keeping the old firmaware of course.

		-bill
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