4 ms·
I get you in principle, but the company should still be allowed to sell hardware with some default software installed, because if I had to search for someone on
by chme 3y ago
I get you in principle, but the company should still be allowed to sell hardware with some default software installed, because if I had to search for someone on the internet that wrote software for my specific smart TV, washing machine or whatever this becomes much more painful.
I would rather see a 'right to repair' extended to software bundled. Any device or software that can connect to a network or can be interfaced with in any way is prone to security (or any other) bugs, which the customer should have the right to fix themselves, because they bought it, and in order to do so, the company needs to hand out the source code and documentation for all their devices.
Also about vendor writing Linux drivers, you probably don't want them too, there are already vendor board support packages (BSP) out there that enabled their hardware on Linux, but those are overwhelmingly abysmal in quality.
What you rather want is for vendors to upstream their driver into the kernel, so that it is properly integrated, doesn't break the hardware of others and has a high quality, but that process is not something you can regulate and force.
- thomastjeffery 3y agoOf course your hardware would come with software installed! That software would simply be written by a separate company. We already do this! HP didn't write Windows, but they sure as hell sell laptops with Windows preinstalled.
- chme 3y agoI still don't get how that would solve the issue of having no linux drivers. Lets say I create a new GPU IP core, i give it to a third-party chip manifactorer to produce it, then that delivers it to a fourth-party to burn a privat key into the fuses, then a fifth party signs its firmware with that key, which contains checks that Windows is running in secure boot mode with Microsoft keys. And then it is sold to the end user via a distributor, which did't do any other work on it. How would preventing a 'vertical' integration forbid that? I would rather just regulate that users should be given the full specs and possibility to use their own keys, to allow them to run their own software on/with it without any feature gates to the hardware. This can be argued for as a right to repair or as giving devices a second life and thus reducing electronic waste. Your rule would likely make the work of smaller companies and startups more difficult, if they have to hire a third-party to write the software. A solo dev might has to create two companies in order to create one product, that seems painful. I guess a lot of OSH projects would not be possible with that rule.
- kanbara 3y agovendor sw (hp, samsung, htc, gateway, dell) is some of the worst sw i’ve ever experienced. i want safari, mail, and messages tyvm
- thomastjeffery 3y agoVendor software is the result of hardware companies attempting vertical integration. Get rid of vertical integration, and the software job will be given to someone capable.
- PrimeMcFly 3y agoTrying to leverage right to repair to apply to software, as a way to demand source for commercial apps is a huge stretch.
- midoridensha 3y ago[dead]