[Mageia-dev] Non-free firmwares in installer

Fri Mar 25 13:14:27 CET 2011

On Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:17:27 +0200 (SAST)
+Buchan Milne <bgmilne at staff.telkomsa.net> wrote:
+
+> 
+> ----- "andre999" <andr55 at laposte.net> wrote:
+> 
+> 
+> > ok.
+> > My though was essentially that firmware is so close to hardware
+> > that its 
+> > actual free/non-free status shouldn't apply - we should treat
+> > it like
+> > 
+> > (almost) part of the hardware.
+> 
+> I would agree, but some people wouldn't.
+> 
+> > As for the drivers, a little more distant from the hardware,
+> > they could 
+> > be in non-free, but I sincerely think that they should be on
+> > all installation isos.
+> 
+> I wouldn't say "all".
+> 
+> > That is, on installing from an iso, all hardware-related
+> > functions should (ideally) be fully functional, even if it
+> > requires using non-free 
+> > drivers.
+> 
+> IMHO, not without informing the user, so that they have the
+> choice (e.g. to consider replacing the hardware by something
+> supported by free software => supporting vendors who support free
+> software).
+> 
+> > The lack of some drivers (or components of drivers) can render a
+> > system 
+> > technically functional, but with important dysfunctions, simply
+> > because 
+> > the required drivers were not available on installation.
+> > That should not happen.
+> 
+> IMHO, that is not *our* choice to make for the user.
+> 
+> > The kernel, firmware and drivers, built on the hardware,
+> > provide a platform on which the application software runs.
+> > True, it is better if drivers are open source, but in my view,
+> > it is application software where open source is the most
+> > important.
+> 
+> But, that is *your* view.
+> 
+> IMHO, some of these questions should be posed to the community.
+> 
+> For example, maybe we should brand ISO releases as something like
+> "Mageia Libre" and "Mageia Gratis" (note, not a "Mageia" and
+> "Mageia limited" or similar, give equal standing to both
+> releases), where Libre would include no non-free software of any
+> kind on the media, users using Libre would never be prompted
+> about non-free software (without opting in, by e.g. installing a
+> different release package). Gratis would include non-free
+> software/firmware required to enable hardware or specific
+> hardware features.
+> 
+> I think it may be worthwhile catering to users who would like to
+> follow FSF Free distribution guidelines as closely as possible,
+> by providing a release that is as close as practically possible
+> to these guidelines (but still making it possible for pragmatic
+> users to have a good experience).
+> 
+> Regards,
+> Buchan
+
+I particularly like the proposed use of the terms Libre and Gratis.
+
+My main concern is that newbie Mageia users - those who come direct
+from Windows, rather than from another variety of Linux - might
+abandon the installation when asked to opt in (or out) of anything
+marked 'non-free', mistakenly thinking that they will have to pay
+for it.
+
+-- 
+Margot
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
+**Otford Ducks Computers**
+We teach, you learn...
+...and, if you don't do your homework, we set the cat on you!
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+