Gregory Nowak, le Fri 10 Nov 2006 09:32:53 -0700, a ?crit : > On Fri, Nov 10, 2006 at 10:19:54AM +0100, Samuel Thibault wrote: > > I _STRONGLY_ doubt this... The USB stack has changed a lot between linux > > 2.4.26 and nowadays 2.6.18... > > That's what I thought, but they did say _any_ kernel, Never trust a commercial :) > > > On the bright side, they have their own API used to talk to the > > > usb-connected isa device, and it looks like it does allow you to talk > > > fully to any isa card. > > > > Oh! Then a free driver could be written. > > > > For what, the isa card? No, for the USB2ISA adapter. But actually, when digging in the doc, their "API" is only for _using_ their proprietary module, not the documentation of the device itself. > If so, then I didn't see a problem there in the first place. All that > would be required as far as I know, would be to modify existing code > that works with the isa card, to communicate with that card using > their API, over usb. A mere #include that re-#defines inb/outb etc would be enough, yes. > > > So, with a bit of coding in speakup, it should be useable, > > > > That should rather be done in the Linux kernel. Not only blind people > > would like to use such card... > > > > Let me address that comment literally first, and then I'll clear the > misconception that seems to have arisen here I think. First, I don't > know why someone other then a blind person would want to use a > doubletalk pc, by "such", I was meaning "an ISA card". And yes, people have good old ISA cards for acquire data, talk to oldies, tinker, ... > So, if you mean that a free driver for the usb to isa device should be > in the linux kernel, since everybody would want to use it, I do agree > there. That's it, so we agree, my phrasing was just bogus :) > In that case, as has been done with other hardware, you'd need to > spy on how the usb device communicates with the system with the > proprietary code running, and then try to replicate that in a free > driver, assuming that their lawyers haven't thought ahead of you, > and already prohibited you from doing such a thing in their license > agreement. In Europe, you can always do this if the company refuses to give interoperatibility information. Hence whatever the licence agreement. Samuel
