[Mageia-dev] [RFC] radeon firmware in non-free

Thu May 31 05:58:13 CEST 2012

Hi,
+
+I can see two objectives here.
+First objective is to have a high installation success rate.
+And second objective is to have happy users from both camps; the
+GNU-purists-camp and the don't-care-camp.
+
+I think the GNU-purists-camp is a minority here, but I could be wrong, I
+never counted them. For them I would make a pure installation DVDs of all
+editions, like Desktop, Server, Live, etc. I bet all purists are
+expert Linux users and they know enough about their hardware and if there
+are GNU drivers for it.
+
+On the other hand, the don't-care-camp needs stuff that works. They don't
+care where it comes from, and they never read the messages. They just click
+through. For them I would make a mixed DVD with pre-selected components
+that have higher success rate. For example, if we know that non-free radeon
+drivers install better than the free ones, don't ask the user at all just
+go ahead and install the non-free version.
+
+This way, we are making the users choose early way before they start
+installing.
+
+I would also call those editions like this:
+
+  1g)  Mageia 3 Server (G) Installation DVD i686 - Includes GNU drivers
+
+  1v)  Mageia 3 Server (V) Installation DVD i686 - Includes Vendor drivers
+
+We would also say "If you don't know which to choose, go for Vendor
+editions"
+
+I think providing free and non-free installation media will increase
+Mageia's quality and reputation. But, everything must be in a single DVD
+because there are laptops, servers, and desktops with Broadcom PHY's and
+they can't get supplemental DVD's or packages without a working network
+card or wifi.
+
+Putting them all together in a single non-free DVD will increase the
+installation success rate for sure.
+
+And at last let me introduce my self.
+My name is Agron Selimaj. I am an experienced Linux user and programmer. I
+have 11 years of Linux experience and I am a Mandriva Powerpack user since
+2006 or 2007. I am a professional C++ programmer for Windows, Linux
+embedded and Linux Desktops at my day job.
+I like the spirit of Mageia creators and I would like to join you. At the
+moment, I am an apprentice candidate waiting for a mentor to guide me
+through package creation process, bug fixing, etc.
+
+//Agron
+
+
+
+On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 11:11 AM, Angelo Naselli <anaselli at linux.it> wrote:
+
+> mercoledì 30 maggio 2012 alle 16:38, Johnny A. Solbu ha scritto:
+> > On Wednesday 30 May 2012 16:20, Angelo Naselli wrote:
+> > > If you really mean that you should also remove non-free repositories
+> etc...
+> > > I don't think being a don Quijote is that good... always imho of
+> course.
+> >
+> > They do exactly that. They do not have any non-free repo. They have a
+> policy that do not allow any non-free software (programs, drivers, firmware
+> etc.) in their distributions, and they don't have any exceptions.
+> > Some might find this silly and stupid. But they live by the rule that
+> every software should be Free. If it is not, they will not use it because
+> they can't do what they want with it.
+> >
+> > My point is just that there really do exist several distributions that
+> do not allow any non-free software in their repositories. if they don't
+> have any non-free software there is no point in having an empty non-free
+> repo. The way Thierry listed the two categories he seemed to suggest that
+> there where no such distributions.
+>
+> That's sounds different of course, i thought you referred to us ;)
+>
+>
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