On Fri, 2008-09-19 at 10:25 -0500, Arthur Pemberton wrote:
2008/9/19 Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com>:
> 1) Regulatory issues
>
> Hardware vendors need to prevent end-users from modifying the firmware
> so that the hardware can not be driven outside legal ranges.
>
> 2) Intellectual "Property" issues
>
> Hardware vendors don't want other hardware vendors to know how they run
> their hardware so that their design can't be copied or stolen.
>
> 3) Inability to build
>
> Firmware is usually code for some PLD or ASIC, which needs specialized
> (and EXPENSIVE) compilers to build. Most people are unlikely to be able
> to turn the source into the firmware.
Another question I guess would be -- do any of these points benefit
power or regular users?
Hah. No. And in fact, it can cripple them under certain circumstances
(e.g., bug in the firmware).
--
Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com>
PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed