[Mageia-dev] Removal of non-free firmware from core section

Thu Nov 10 15:30:56 CET 2011

Wolfgang Bornath wrote:
+> 2011/11/10 Frank Griffin <ftg at roadrunner.com>:
+>> On 11/10/2011 02:25 AM, Johnny A. Solbu wrote:
+>>> In other words, you would prefer to have non-free drivers to remain in the
+>>> "core" tree because otherwise some hardware may not work? (Did i understand
+>>> you correctly?)
+>> If we're going to have core and non-free to begin with, then non-free stuff
+>> shouldn't be in core.  That being said, it isn't the problem here.  The
+>> problem is that non-free isn't as available as core.  It should be, based on
+>> prompting the user during install.  Those who want a totally free system
+>> that lacks non-free functionality just have to say no.
+>>
+>> If it makes a philosophical difference, then have no default and require the
+>> user to explicitly answer yes or no, and get treated accordingly.  Putting
+>> non-free stuff in core is an attempted solution to the problem that enabling
+>> and using non-free in an installed core-only system is much more complicated
+>> than it ought to be.  By the time a user boots his installed system,
+>> non-free stuff should already be there if he wants it there.
+> 
+> By the time a user boots his installed system he either has the online
+> repositories already set (after install from liveCD) or is just a
+> mouse click away from setting them. When the online repos are set the
+> non-free repo is available if the user wants to have it.
+> 
+What about if I don't have internet access ?
+
+(Typically, in my company, we provided Mandriva DVD for customer with no 
+internet connection. There were able to get a working system without any 
+additional trick).
+
+Maybe I misunderstood the problem (if so, sorry) :
+If it is just a matter of asking to user whether or not he wants to 
+install non free firmware, then just go! But if the user with no 
+internet access is stuck because of firmware absence, then that's just 
+stupid!
+
+Xavier
+