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Date: Thu, 08 Jul 1999 09:38:04 +0100
From: Adrian Godwin <adrian.godwin@pigroup.co.uk>
Organization: Pi Developments Ltd
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To: "'discuss@linmodems.org'" <discuss@linmodems.org>
Subject: Re: How Mylex resolved GPL issue
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Dominic Papandria (3 Com Corp.) <v-dpap@microsoft.com> wrote:
> > 
> Disk space is infinitely cheaper than memory (it's free).  The real solution
> (as I've advocated before) would be for the modem vendor to release a DSP
> code image (multiple segments of assembly compiled into a single file).
>
> ....
>
> products.  Granted, this only works for a card with a DSP (and is thus
> limited to Winmodem / controllerless modem implementations).
> 
> This should also solve the regulatory issues mentioned earlier, since the
> core DSP software is still being provided by the hardware vendor.
> 

Why would this only work on a DSP ? If the 586 is performing the DSP
functions, it should be possible to encapsulate its code in the same way
(with additions to the API for hardware discovery, timer events etc.)

It's still less flexible than free software, since it's bound to a 586
(or perhaps MMX) class processor. But that's closer to the requirements for
lowest cost, and the code remains bound to the chipset's register set so
the modem manufacturer doesn't have to feel he's shipping enabling
technology for some else's hardware.


-adrian