View Single Post
Old 24th July 2013
bsdnotbdsm bsdnotbdsm is offline
Port Guard
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 30
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jggimi View Post
The first hunk of hardware I noticed within the dmesg is an RK30 I2C module.

Starting with that module, a little Googling found that what the vendor calls "Linux source code" for its components are in fact binary kernel modules and firmware modules. For an example, see the vendor's announcement of a pair of these on their community forum here: http://www.rikomagic.co.uk/forum/vie...4696&start=160

The platform's internal infrastructure is proprietary and closed. This will limit its acceptability beyond those environments the vendor invests in to support. OS projects outside that sphere might be able to negotiate access to interfaces from the vendor, if they are willing to sign NDAs.
) Indeed funny the post on rikomagic.co.uk, "Linux Source Code for RK3188 (MK802IV) Now Available!".
Not that I want to offend (or protect :P ) anyone, but I noticed that with any toy's meteoric growth in popularity, many forum members are doped with tremendous enthusiasm, in detriment of real technical knowledge.
So, I suppose that applies for MK802* too, some cannot tell the difference between a precompiled module and module's source code. :P

The real work is done in places like this: http://www.armtvtech.com/armtvtechfo...=212&start=320
This particular thread on armtvtech.com is very useful to give an insight of the developer''s problems with kernel programming for MK802. Part of the problems would be:
- lack of source code from the vendors;
- lack of specs from the vendors;
- "weird"(poor?) programming style for some parts (where source code exists)

First problem seemed quite strange to me: some Chinese manufacturers refuse (or delay) code release. I expected the GPL licensed kernel to be released ... as the license requires.
But in the end that's just an example of: an ideal world ... versus reality.
Reply With Quote