[driverloader] license fees

[Fritz Ganter]

Am Son, den 09.11.2003 schrieb Alexander Ellberg um 15:42:
> Hi Linuxant Team,
> 
> with all due respect but this course of action really disappoints me.
> I
> didnt pay almost 1800$ for a notebook only to realize that the only
> option
> to make the Centrino components work with my linux  system is to pay
> (again)
> 20 bucks for a proprietary driver loader. I have chosen linux besides
> other
I also spent a lot of money for my acer centrino notebook. I did know
that the intel wlan chip is not yet supportet.
I had the choice: live without a driver or spent 20 dollar for this
driver and this excellent support.


> benifits for the reason that i didnt have to pay for it. 
> Linux is open source and therefore its drivers should also be
> available without further
> costs. 

Why did you buy a notebook with is not supported with free linux
drivers?

I hate this if people are saying "you do work for linux, this must be
with no costs!".

I am the developer of the FREE linux navigation system GpsDrive
(http://www.gpsdrive.cc). Work time was arround 1000 hours until now.
For consulting or programming I would earn about $50/hour, so I spent
$50000 to the community. What did I get back? Donations of $150 in the
last 6 months, while some ten-thousends of people are using GpsDrive. 

Do I complain about this 20 bucks for the driver? No.
Of course, I payed today for my driverloader license.
 
Anyway, I have no work at the moment, no money and don't know what I
should eat next week. 
Thanks to this people, who thinks software developer don't need coffee,
cigarettes and a meal.

> Dont get me wrong but i believe that Linuxant is betraying the
> community with this marketing strategy. If you guys really have such a
> close
I'm very happy that they offer such a solution at such low costs.
If you don't like it, you don't need to purchase this driver. It's your
choice.
 
BTW: The support of linuxant is the best and fastest I ever had seen.

>  Intel promised the Centrino owners to
> develop a working driver structure for all compentens of the system
> yet
> there isnt even a beta available. I really hope Linuxant is going to
> find
> another more consumer friendly option to release their driverloader
> architecture. Until this moment i will have to wait for the native
> intel
> Centrino drivers.

Then go and blame intel, not linuxant.
And tell me, where can I find your contributiuon to the linux community?

-- 
Fritz "der mit dem Linux tanzt" Ganter         http://www.gpsdrive.cc
 Key fingerprint = 555A DDBB 3985 16FF CD41  2031 C485 1783 BF34 728F