How and why to work with the Linux kernel community Linux driver development model, good case timeline #2 Hardware vendor releases HW documentation during HW R&D or no later than the product start shipping Somebody in the Linux development community might be interested in writing a driver in his spare time because of technical interest in the HW as a paid contractor by the HW vendor In such cases it helps if the HW vendor provides free samples to trustworthy developers That driver is very likely to get merged mainline