Re: drivers DB and id/ info registration

[Zenaan Harkness <zen@freedbms.net>]

On Wed, 2004-05-26 at 21:35, Wouter Verhelst wrote:
> Op wo 26-05-2004, om 12:07 schreef Zenaan Harkness:
> > I develop widget X.
> > 
> > I contact microsoft and have X incorporated into windows.
> 
> Rotfl.

OK, bad assumption.

The only reason I say that is that so many devices work
"seamlessly" with MSW*

 - recently I read a review on the X-Arcade retro joystick
controllers (those heavy "for cabinets and MAME" things).
The reviewer just plugged it in and Windows literally popped
up with a dialog telling the "end user recognizable" name of
the device.

 - a year or so back, my brother bought a "blue eye" USB
external 2.5" HDD (really nice looking thing) and on his
XP box it auto added a new drive (E: or whatever). Seamless.

So how come devices tend to just plug and play when
used with Windows (USB HDDs, audi cards, logitec gear)?

Will a "visible"/ centralized location where manufacturers
can submit info on their devices (for free software kernels)
help to get us closer to the "front line" of device support?

thanks
zen