> I have no idea why the hardware/software industry all focused on the linux kernel
I'll die mad about it.
So many in the OSS community applaud vendors for upstreaming a driver to the Linux kernel even though they haven't given any basic form of documentation. Not only is this a massive pain if you happen to work on a project that isn't GPL compatible (back to square one, legally required to clean room implement the algorithm if you want to work with Linux source), but you still have no idea how the device actually works and what the sharp edges are (good luck writing bug fixes!). It's utterly baffling that people have generally accepted Linux as if it is the only FOSS kernel that anyone should ever care about.
> this a massive pain if you happen to work on a project that isn't GPL compatible
Good. And I hope that continues to be the case.
The harder life is for non-copyleft licensed software and ecosystem the more society stands to benefit and the more the software industry stands to redeem itself.
For those of us that treasure freedom, through diversity of ideologies there is strength. Why one would actively put a pox on those with nearly the same goals as yourself is beyond me. But, hey… you do you.
Trying to spring the GPL on people because they dare to try and understand how their wifi card works is not, in my opinion, a reasonable nor appropriate use of copy-left. Copyright is for derived works, not technical knowledge (i.e. specifications) but when you vendors refuse to provide documentation and only code, they force everyone into this weird position of creating a pseudo-derived work if they dare to (or can even be accused of having!) come near the Linux kernel source. If vendors provided a simple PDF everyone would be happier because now anyone can write the driver free and clear to the best of their ability.
I'll die mad about it.
So many in the OSS community applaud vendors for upstreaming a driver to the Linux kernel even though they haven't given any basic form of documentation. Not only is this a massive pain if you happen to work on a project that isn't GPL compatible (back to square one, legally required to clean room implement the algorithm if you want to work with Linux source), but you still have no idea how the device actually works and what the sharp edges are (good luck writing bug fixes!). It's utterly baffling that people have generally accepted Linux as if it is the only FOSS kernel that anyone should ever care about.