In a comment to a blog about VC and Consumer Electronics.

"Open Source Firmware"

Why do consumer electronics companies want to be in the software business? Why do they outsource their firmware, driver and application development and then make such a pig's ear of supporting it and providing updates? Why does each one have to re-invent the wheel: Do we really need every Mp3 player manufacturer to produce a competitor to iTunes and Winamp? Why are people like Broadcom forced into a situation where in order to get FCC approval they have to lock down the hardware API? Why do Sony with the PSP and MS with the XBox have to build in hardware DRM supported by closed source and deliberately crippled firmware? Why does Apple have to deliberately cripple the iPod in order to reach a deal with the media companies to be able to create iTMS?

Open Source Firmware is an idea who's time has come.


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[ 22-Dec-05 9:16am ] [ , ]