ATI to provide specs

[Steve]

Harald Welte wrote:
>> On 9/6/07, Steve <openmokolists at mysteryvortex.com> wrote:
>>> It may be worth talking with ATI again.  Since this announcement, I
[...]
> As indicated previously, this agreement includes a statement that
> OpenMoko will work on to-be-publicized documentation on the SMedia chip,
> which will be jointly released at some point.

I was not aware of this.  I thought there would be no documentation
released.  I was also afraid that there may be "magic" code or missing
features in the drivers due to NDA restrictions.  It sounds as though
those fears were unfounded.

[...]
> Do you think we would be foolish enough not to talk to all vendors of
> the respective components?  I really feel personally very sad that
> anyone believes that I am in this project for anything else then to
> provide the highest level of freedom for both hardware and software that
> is possible.

Things change, the ATI announcement represents a major shift in their
policy.  I didn't mean to imply that you had never even talked with
them, just that it may be a good idea to find out if the new policy
extends to their mobile chips.

I didn't mean to question your commitment to freedom.  It's obvious that
the Openmoko team is putting a lot of hard work and effort into making
the hardware and software as free as is currently possible.  I
appreciate that effort and intend to support it by buying hardware and
doing whatever I can on the software development front.

[...]
> There is no other hardware vendor of devices with similar high level of
> integration that has taken openness to the degree that we are taking it.
> 
> Starting with GTA02, we have a very firm openness policy for all our
> hardware components.  Our future designs will follow the same line - and
> we're trying to continuously to push the borders any further.  We make
> our position at chip manufacturers very clear.  And we're having very
> fruitful discussions and results that I am proud of.

Not only for the open hardware I expect to come out of this project, but
for the example it sets.  I believe in voting with my dollars, and that
is why I will be buying the Neo 1973 and future ATI desktop graphics
processors.

-Steve