[hcflinux] Re: Several Questions Regarding Linuxant and Windows drivers.

[Marc Boucher]

Hi Karl,

Please see http://www.linuxant.com/store/explanation

It should answer most of your questions.

Concerning the applications, we hope to support standardized and/or open
APIs whenever possible to enable everyone to use the full functionality
of their Conexant modems under Linux. Our goal is also to constantly improve
the quality, ease of use/installation, and features so as to surpass the level
of functionality and quality of hardware modems.

This is where people will start to really notice the advantages of softmodems
(due to much greater control by the CPU over the chipsets which are in fact
very powerful&flexible interfaces) compared the old hardware modem types.

Cheers
Marc

On Tue, Sep 09, 2003 at 06:45:44PM -0400, Karl Scheel wrote:
> Hi Marc,
> 
> The following is a reply that you posted to a complaint from another user 
> about the fact that they now have to pay to download Linuxant drivers:
> 
> > Linuxant is a distinct company, not owned by Conexant. And since
> > Linuxant doesn't sell any hardware, it depends on contributions from
> > users to develop for Linux. This development cannot be done by the
> > open-source community because a significant portion of the
> > drivers is proprietary (patented) technology which we had to license
> > from Conexant, and it requires a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) which
> > most open-source developers are not willing or able to sign.
> 
> I am confused as to who writes the Windows drivers for modems with 
> Conexant chipsets: Is it Conexant, or the modem manufacturers that use 
> their chipsets? [...]
> 
> Will graphical Linux applications be provided free with these drivers that 
> would be able to take advantage of advanced modem functions such as local 
> and remote voice messaging and control, caller ID, distinctive ringing, 
> phone dialing, fax-on-demand, pager notification, music on hold, etc.? I 
> ask this question because modem manufacturers are bundling Windows 
> applications that perform these tasks with their drivers. If Linuxant is 
> going to provide these apps, why not license them to the modem 
> manufacturers together with the drivers? To get around the problem of the 
> multitude of graphical environments that are used with Linux, could you 
> design these apps around the various versions of XFree86 and then license 
> them, or would its GPL licensing force you to share them for free with the 
> Linux community?
> 
> Having asked these questions, I am sure that most of us within the Linux 
> community would not mind paying for Linuxant drivers if we can be assured 
> in some way that we will be getting what we pay for.  The more we would be 
> required to pay, the more usability we would expect out of our HCF and HSF 
> modems, and the more convenience we would expect in the installation & 
> configuration processes.  However, I am also sure that we would not be 
> willing to pay the same or more for a Linuxant driver than the price of a 
> Winmodem that ships with its Windows drivers and apps; it just does not 
> make economic sense.  And if it ends-up cheaper for us to purchase new 
> hardware modems to use with Linux than to use Linuxant drivers with our 
> HCF and HSF modems, you might as well tell your employees to go home!
>