Marvell microkernel

The microkernel on the Marvell 88W8388 wireless chip is the only non-Free user-modifiable software on the XO laptop. This is where we explain what needs to be done, who is doing it, and what progress we have made.

Problem definition

Richard Stallman, in conversation with Ed Cherlin at the Linux CABAL, said that this driver is the only reason he doesn't support the XO. Ed thinks that support from rms and others who feel the same way is worth some trouble.

"The Marvell chip has very specific features that are essential to us -- stores its routing table in RAM, can forward packets through the mesh at low power while the main CPU is off, etc."--cjb

• ARM 9 processor
• Proprietary microkernel; Marvell does not own this code
• Source code for OLPC driver written on top of this microkernel is available.

Participants

These people have had something to do with the issue, or expressed interest in helping.

• Ed Cherlin is herding the cats on this one.
• Alex Gibson says he has some volunteers to work on it from University of Technology Sydney.
• cjb Chris Ball
• mbletsas
• AlbertCahalan
• bobkeyes
• palfrey

At one time gumstix was said to be interested.

LinuxToGo has a related project.

To Do

We need data and code. Put some links here.

• Microkernel documentation from owner
• Driver source code: 8388 "libertas" driver from our kernel tree: git://git.infradead.org/users/marcelo/libertas managed by Marcelo Tosatti, discussion
• TinyOS?
• ARM 9 programming reference

Do we need an NDA from Marvell?

There appears to be no documentation of this chip on the Marvell Web site. They say that it is still in OEM sampling, and a developer's kit is available. OK, who has the kit?

History

• Bug 46 Eliminate dependency on licensed code in Marvell firmware
• Bug 429 wireless firmware not in-house
• Open-Source Substandard? thread
• Marvell's proprietary code and license including no-reverse-engineer clause "except to the extent that such restrictions are prohibited by applicable law."