Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
Summary: After years of being a Linux outsider, the major Wi-Fi chip vendor comes out of the dog-house and joins the Linux Foundation.
A major pain point for Linux desktop users over the years has been a lack of Wi-Fi chipset support. That's been changing for the better over the last few years, but I still find it a little amazing that on Monday, January 10th, the Linux Foundation will announce that Broadcom, yes Broadcom, will be joining the Foundation.
You see, for years, Linux notebook users have had a hate-hate relationship with Broadcom. While Atheros and Intel provided Linux Wi-FI drivers and code, Broadcom did little to nothing for Linux users. Broadcom started changing its ways in 2007 and started offering more and more support for Linux. Then, in September 2010, Broadcom released the source code for the "initial release of a fully-open Linux driver for its latest generation of 11n chipsets."
Since then, that driver has been integrated into the latest Linux kernel release 2.6.37 and, as a result, is actively being improved upon by the entire Linux community. Even so, for Broadcom, with its vast portfolio of semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, to join the Linux Foundation is a surprise. It's also a very pleasant one.
Broadcom will be working with the Linux Driver Project and the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit, where it can work directly with community developers, as well as other industry players and suppliers. I'm impressed.
In a statement, Michael Hurlston, Senior VP & General Manager of Broadcom's WLAN line of business said, "There is no question: Linux has become a major platform for communications devices and technologies. Our decision to open source the drivers for Broadcom's 802.11 chipsets is in response to our growing base of customers using Linux and is the first of what we expect to be many open development success stories."
Amanda McPherson, VP of marketing and developer programs at The Linux Foundation, said, "Broadcom understands what almost every major technology company today knows - that collaborative, open development results in benefits that include everything from supported hardware to reduced development costs. She finished "We applaud Broadcom for its recent move to work more closely with the Linux community; their membership in the Linux Foundation speaks volumes of their commitment."
I applaud them as well. With this move, all the major Wi-Fi chipset vendors are on-board with Linux.
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Talkback
This is a good thing along with
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
That doesn't make it suck any less.
Yes Steve, it is funny. LD can be that way even when...
There is some entertainment value to his trolls, but the uninitiated get gaffed by him every time.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
He hates that something works so great on Linux.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
One wonders just how many personal electronic devices ol' Loverock owns run Linux? I'm sure every one of his Wi-Fi routers, TVs, DVRs, DDS satellite receivers, cable boxes all run embedded Windows, right? :p
Face it. LD used to be funny. Now he's like the old generation comedian who's pitied by the new generation...
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
Just a Loverock general comment with no supporting evidence, again.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
The only thing to suck is your ability to troll
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
You're hilarious ... :D
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
I wonder how much MS pays idiotic moron trolls like Loverock.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
Why don't you get a real job instead of trolling for Microcrap.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
see, the truth hurts, look at the responses, when everyone knows wireless on Linux is a basket case.
Good move.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
Agreed... My Ubuntu laptop could of used this to keep me from wanting to beat the keyboard off of it. Something about having to type (ok, copy and paste, but still) long strings of text in a prompt to wrap a driver just so you can get on wireless with a laptop makes you want to load Windows 7 just because it really does make wireless easy. I resisted the urge though. I really do like Ubuntu, but broadcom didn't help any.
LOL..."wanting to beat the keyboard off of it"
Yes, been there my friend...but more with SUSE than 'Buntu...I've been very pleased with Lynx.
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
RE: Broadcom (Yes, Broadcom) joins the Linux Foundation
Reading all these comments is instructive, no doubt. I had a laptop that just would not find any wifi with Ubuntu, while SuSE worked just fine. I put Windows 7 on it, and it connected but constantly dropped and reconnected. I'm back to using XP in a dual-boot with SuSE, and it works fine.