Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!clarkson!grape.ecs.clarkson.edu!nelson From: nelson@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Russ Nelson) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip Subject: Re: IEEE 802.3 Driver for Xircom Adapter Message-ID: Date: 12 Jun 91 02:49:14 GMT References: <1991Jun11.130122.15791@linus.mitre.org> Sender: usenet@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu Reply-To: nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu (aka NELSON@CLUTX.BITNET) Organization: Clarkson University, Potsdam NY Lines: 49 In-Reply-To: mrb@mitre.org's message of Tue, 11 Jun 1991 13:01:22 GMT In article <1991Jun11.130122.15791@linus.mitre.org> mrb@mitre.org writes: I am currently looking for a way to attach a Zenith Supersport Laptop to an IEEE 802.3 LAN using a Xircom pocket Ethernet adapter. At this time, Xircom does not have an IEEE 802.3 compatible driver. Any suggestions/ work arounds would be greatly appreciated. They would have one if they weren't such scum (see below). The Clarkson packet driver collection now (as of the 9.x release) supports 802.3 packets (courtesy of Eric && Colin at BYU). But Xircom opted out of the Clarkson packet driver project... I wrote some skeleton software to assist people writing network drivers. It's copyrighted using the FSF's GPL. Xircom donated one of their pocket Ethernet adapters to Brad Clements in our computing center. He used their object module and wrote some of his own code, and linked it to my skeleton. They were not happy when Brad told them that the copyright required that they release their source code. And I insisted that they do so. So we came up with a compromise -- they would give the source to anyone who signed a nondisclosure agreement. I thought that was reasonable (at the time), and agreed to it. So they went on distributing it. Then I heard that they had reneged on our agreement, and that they were writing their own proprietary packet driver. However, they continued to distribute the one derived from my code so I called for a boycott of their products. Legal action wouldn't be useful, because I have no money to sue them, and they've been making lots of money off their adaptors. And even the boycott isn't going to accomplish much because the people who need packet drivers aren't a large part of their business. So, I guess they get away with their theft. There are alternatives to their products, made by D-Link. D-Link's products are cheaper, and there is a packet driver for the DE-600 thinwire adapter (at least). I have found D-Link to be a very responsive company. For example, they supply a sticker for their internal adapters that explains the jumper positions. This is unusual, and very handy. USA UK International D-Link Systems, Inc D-Link (U.K.) Ltd. Datex Systems, Inc. 5 Musick 23A lyttelton Rd 15-4, FL Irvine, CA 92718 London, N2 0DN No. 1, Fu Hsing North Rd. USA UK Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. -- --russ I'm proud to be a humble Quaker. Clear cutting is criminal, spiking trees is criminal, and using hyperbole of this magnitude in a serious discussion is criminal. -- Irv Chidsey