RFC: Network Device Driver Group proposal

["Luis R. Rodriguez" <mcgrof@studorgs.rutgers.edu>]

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This is a RFC for the start of a Network Device Driver Group.

There is currently no central group that I am aware of that 
hardware/chipset manufacturer companies can contact to assist in 
writing/mantaining/giving specs to/giving source base for a 
new Linux Network device driver (wireless or not). 

There is also no central group I know of besides the netdev mailing list
for interaction between network driver developers. Most drivers seem to
have their own mailing list, if any, and a cheesy website, if any.

From my experience so far it seems like manufacturers can sometimes be
very willing to help, but I think that sometimes they just fail to see
where and how they can help. So, it seems we have to first help
ourselves out, building an entity onto which companies/manufacuters can
refer to if they'd like to donate a source base for a driver / a
firmware for a driver or even provide specifications for a driver. Sort
of like an organizational structure like the DRI project.

Just wanted to throw ideas in the air and see if other netdevs agree and
think this would be a good idea. I've been speaking to Pavel Roskin, 
a co-mantainer of the orinoco driver, and he agrees there many ways in
which just both of our projects can benefit from a close relationship (in
our case since our chipset's manufacturer is the same; prism 2/2.5.3 and
prism gt/duette/indigo).

OSLD wants to be the "center of gravity for all Linux related stuff". Well
maybe OSDL can help us :)

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