12-20-2023, 12:50 PM
(12-20-2023, 11:10 AM)u974615 Wrote: This process of developing a working WiFi driver/kernel module seems a bit strange to me. Should it be more in collaboration with the Linux project and with a plain main board, not in a final form factor?
https://gitlab.com/TuxThePenguin0/bes2600
Wouldn't it be easier for someone to convince the original source code ( Bestechnic?, BES? ) to work with The Linux Foundation and get the code distributed with the Linux kernel releases. Or work with Software Freedom Conservancy and release it fully under the GPL v2, which Segfaults's GitLab repo seemed to be working toward: https://gitlab.com/TuxThePenguin0/bes2600. And figure out the proper channels and format to package and distribute the kernel module.
The problem is twofold:
1. All the code must be GPLv2
2. The code quality needs to be to the Linux kernel level
ad 1) The files that are under a proprietary license must be re-licensed under GPLv2 or we can't use them. This can only be done by Bestechnic
ad 2) The LF or SFC have no role to play in this. Any person, with the right skill set, can do that. Bestechnic can help, which would likely be beneficial, but that's not a requirement.
Once the code is of sufficient quality, then it can be send to an appropriate kernel subsystem maintainer (normally via a mailing list), where it will be evaluated whether it indeed meets the requirements. It's common that this results in several iterations where each new version/iteration addresses the issues that have been brought up during the review. If all goes well, the subsystem maintainer accepts it and then it gets on its way to Linus' (git) repo. And from there it'll end up in various distribution's kernel. I guess this part would be the 'collaboration with the Linux project' part. (But 'official' organizations play no role in this)
AFAIK, Segfault isn't working on the code. I 'heard rumors' that someone else maybe is (in collaboration with Bestechnic), but I have no idea whether that is indeed true, where it's taking place or what the status of it is.
Quote:I gather another issue is the WiFi chipset really doesn't support the latest WiFi protocols... AC?
That's unfortunate for users, but not important for whether it can be included in the upstream Linux repo.
HTH