TI AR7 Network Support Package

[seventh guardian]

Hello.

First of all, how is the Texas Instruments AR7 subject?

Second, I came across this page on the TI site, where TI claims to
license a "linux-based router software stack":

http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/bcg/bcggencontent.tsp?templateId=6116&navigationId=12252&contentId=3908

I quote:

"AR7's Network Support Package (NSP) is a full, Linux(r)-based router
software stack. Its architecture takes advantage of AR7's
high-performance processing and throughput capabilities. Designed so
manufacturers can integrate new code blocks on top of the NSP for
additional router functionality, TI licenses the NSP along with a
comprehensive maintenance and support package."

So how does TI license a software it doesn't own? Take a look at the
pdf to check the features of the package (that is, which open software
TI is trying to sell as its own).


As an owner of a AR7 based device from Aztech (rebranded to
NTech/Surecom, which is a portuguese company that rebrands foreign
devices and sells them in our country), I first tried to get the
documentation for the device from TI. The answer was very polite, but
they basically said that unless I was making 10000 devices using their
IC I couldn't get the docs.

So today I replied to them, politely asking for the source code of
their linux device drivers for the peripherals. I'm still waiting for
the answer..

Cheers,
and thanks for the initiative of protecting us all!
  Renato Caldas