Linux IR Project Leader Interviewed

Code Warrior writes "If you use Linux on a laptop then you'll want to head over to Mattshouse's interview with Dag Brattli, leader of the Linux IR Project. He has some neat insights about hardware vendor cooperation, and the IrDA Group's animosity."

if you have linux on a laptop AND a use for it..

[MagPulse]

I have linux on my laptop, but how many uses are there really for an IR port?

Good IR interface for my PC for a decent price?

[torpor]

Anyone got any recommendations? I've got a laptop on its way to me this week that has an IR port, but no IR on my PC ...

DiamondMM HomeFree

[nelsonrn]

You must have talked to someone other than the person I talked to. Robert Jacobson, marketing manager for the product, said that I was the first Linux user I'd heard from, and that Diamond was very hostile to outside developers since they'd had several bad experiences even WITH NDAs. However, they've got my name and phone number should they change their mind and decide they want a Linux driver.
-russ

IR- PalmPilot III

[Ether]

See--- http://www.iscomplete.com/ for IrLink or IrSync, both should work... I'm thinking about doing this myself, I also have a tyan m/b.

IR would be sorta cool

[ewhac]

I have an HP Omnibook 800CT running Linux. It would be nice to be able to use it now and again for useful things. For example, it'd be nice to be able to run PPP or SLIP over it, thereby allowing me to FTP in to the laptop across from me...

But, alas, the Omnibook 800 uses the VLSI part for IrDA, and they won't cough up the specs. I have an acquaintance who used to work at HP, who helped design the HP OB800. He says VLSI wouldn't even tell them how to program it. VLSI just supplied opaque Windoze drivers, and HP loaded them on to the disk.

Really, I have to wonder what all this digital balkanism is supposed to accomplish...

Schwab

specifications

[ewhac]

(3) the specifications are undocumented. [...]

Actually, I'm willing to buy this. I've been working with $(GRAPHICS_CHIP_VENDOR), who don't hand out the specs to their chips (as a rule) because, in order to interpret them, you need several hours of training in their specific design methodologies. They provide this training to their OEM customers (because they pay for it), but don't have the resources to provide same to random hackers.

Not a particularly compelling excuse, but there it is.

Schwab

What do they gain?

[dido]

Well, I recently got a Toshiba Libretto, and after struggling for about a week to get Linux installed on it I suppose that little IR port there at the back will never see any use. I was thinking about using it to send programs to one of the mobile robots we're developing at our lab, but alas... Looks like we're stuck to implementing a complete RF transciever or incompatible IR port from scratch. Getting workable IrDA hardware from a specific manufacturer is so difficult, with fickle computer parts importers and in a state-funded university in the third world to boot.

What do these tight-fisted hardware manufacturers gain anyway from concealing their drivers? Don't they get enough money from hardware sales? Licensing these closed drivers to third parties doesn't account for one hundredth of one percent of their income I guess. Are they afraid that the competition will be able to reverse-engineer them from knowledge of the interface? Granted, knowledge of the interface makes this slightly easier, but a really determined reverse engineer will be able to get them anyway, reverse engineers being what they are. Cracking the interface is only a small part of reverse engineering a system. It's like the argument against hiding cryptographic algorithms: it makes life difficult for people who'd like to use their hardware legitimately, but ultimately doesn't stop those who would abuse their hardware for malicious purposes.
--

Utterly kaput.

[orabidoo]

it's probably sitting behind a IR link, so it got slashdotted quickly ;)

IR- PalmPilot III

[raal]

Has anyone gotten their machine to link with a
PalmPilot III? And if so what irda stuff did they
do I have a tyan MB, but donno where to get the
irda thingie to plug into the motherboard.

Thanks
-Ryan

IR

[jking]

Im using an IR reciever I built, with the help of a friend, to control winamp using a regular remote control. Does anyone know if there is a Linux project for this sort of thing?

The specs and winamp module can be found at
http://www.geociti es.com/SiliconValley/Sector/3863/infrared.html [geocities.com]

The IR reciever/demodulator is not available anymore so I used a radioshack reciever.