Community update: GSM firmware and GPS driver

hank williams hank777 at gmail.com
Wed Nov 14 11:21:06 CET 2007


exactly accurate respose/analysis.

Hank

On Nov 14, 2007 4:18 AM, Shachar Shemesh <shachar at shemesh.biz> wrote:

> Ian Darwin wrote:
> >
> > Anything less will lead to this sort of frustration, over and over
> again.
> It is not always possible.
>
> The way I figured it out, the GSM module will always be closed. This is
> not due to the hardware specs being unknown, but due to the fact that
> the law requires a transmitter to be approved by the FCC, and it is
> impossible to get an approval for a transmitter that allows anyone to
> change the frequencies it transmits in. I understand what the FCC is
> worried about (though I do not, necessarily agree with it. Anyone can
> build an unauthorized transmitter, and writing code that says "you have
> copyright permission to modify this code, but you will have to get it
> certified with FCC yourself before you are allowed to use it" does not,
> in my eyes, reduce your freedom).
>
> In other words, you will NEVER get a truly 100% open source cell phone
> as long as the FCC rules are as they are.
>
> Regarding the GPS, please pay attention to the fact that the GTA-02 did
> not "solve" this problem. It merely moved the non open source component
> from the software to the firmware. This solves the "supporting
> libraries" problem, but does not allow openness. Here, at least, I
> suspect that the reasons have less to do with an external certification
> authority, and thus have more hopes for the future.
>
> Shachar
>
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