Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] Re: RME is no more
From: Mark Knecht (markknecht_AT_gmail.com)
Date: Mon Nov 29 2004 - 22:41:06 EET
On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 15:29:59 -0500, Rick B <zajelo3_AT_cfl.rr.com> wrote:
> I have a question. Since they already have a Mac OSX driver for the
> Firewire 800, why can't they just port it to Linux? It shouldn't be that
> hard. Am I wrong about this? Of course it would be closed source but at
> least people would have the option of using that interface on Linux. If
> I'm right about it not being that hard to port the driver, wouldn't that
> indicate that there is another reason for not providing Linux support
> for that interface?
>
> Rick B
>
Not hard doesn't mean not expensive. (In the short term) Once they
release it they have to supoprt it. This means (presumably) any
distro, any kernel, etc., and it a whole can of worms.
Maybe they could do something like NVidia does where most of the
driver is binary but a little piece gets recompiled. That helps, if
they know how to do it.
Of course, in the long term saving money now certainly costs them
money in the future since Marek, et all, won't buy from them.
This all presumes that they do not have a technical reason to say that
this devices won't work under Linux. For instance, in another thread,
I raised the question about the stability of the Linux 1394 drivers
themselves. I know for a fact that the Linux 1394 drivers do not
support all the 1394 peripherals I can run under Windows. About 50% of
the peripherals I've tried under Linux just don't work. They aren't
recognized by the stack at all. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think this
whole discussion assumes the 1394 drivers do work. Maybe RME tried,
found they didn't work with their device, and then just shelved it for
a while.
This is all just ramblings from someone looking for a stiff drink...
- Mark
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