View Source: Firmware - Waikato Linux Users Group

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A small piece of [Software] that resides in a piece of [Hardware] to implement low-level functions.

This is often stored on the hardware permanently, either in [ROM] (which can't be changed) or in [NVRAM] which can be "flashed" and replaced with a newer firmware.

Many cheaper hardware peripherals (such as the wireless chip used in many Centrino-based laptops) don't store the firmware at all, and require the OperatingSystem's [Driver] to load the firmware onto the card before use.

The LinuxKernel hackers have had a policy of not including drivers that require ClosedSource firmware to make the hardware work, although many [Linux] [distributions|Category:Distribution] include such drivers (and firmware, where they are allowed to distribute it) in their kernel images. More recently the LinuxKernel has had accepted a number of network [Driver]s with ClosedSource firmware.

One page links to Firmware:

OpenFirmware

Last edited on Tuesday, July 26, 2005 4:18:40 pm by IanMcDonald

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