802.11n: A Bit Less Drafty Than Before

As followup to last week's tirade, draft v2 of the IEEE 802.11n specification has been approved by unanimous vote (with 5 absentions) of the working group, after resolving the more than 12,000 feedback comments on draft v1, and is now out for general ballot approval. As Ars Technica notes:

If it is approved by the membership, Draft 2.0 wil then become the basis for the final 802.11n spec.

Draft 2.0 general membership approval will also be the trigger for the Wi-Fi Alliance to begin phase 1 of its multi-stage 802.11n-inclusive equipment certification process.

Brace yourself for a deluge of 'Draft 2.0-compatible' press releases in the coming hours and days, in advance of formal draft approval. Then again, putting a positive slant on the situation, at least most folks practiced self-restraint prior to this point.

I still wonder how much more incredible 802.11n could have been, if the silicon and systems vendors would have exhibited more restraint. But I guess we'll never know, huh?