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<H1>[Mageia-dev] Non-free firmwares in installer</H1>
<B>Buchan Milne</B>
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TITLE="[Mageia-dev] Non-free firmwares in installer">bgmilne at staff.telkomsa.net
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<I>Fri Mar 25 08:17:27 CET 2011</I>
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<PRE>
----- "andre999" <<A HREF="https://www.mageia.org/mailman/listinfo/mageia-dev">andr55 at laposte.net</A>> wrote:
><i> ok.
</I>><i> My though was essentially that firmware is so close to hardware that
</I>><i> its
</I>><i> actual free/non-free status shouldn't apply - we should treat it like
</I>><i>
</I>><i> (almost) part of the hardware.
</I>
I would agree, but some people wouldn't.
><i> As for the drivers, a little more distant from the hardware, they
</I>><i> could
</I>><i> be in non-free, but I sincerely think that they should be on all
</I>><i> installation isos.
</I>
I wouldn't say "all".
><i> That is, on installing from an iso, all hardware-related functions
</I>><i> should (ideally) be fully functional, even if it requires using
</I>><i> non-free
</I>><i> drivers.
</I>
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).
><i> The lack of some drivers (or components of drivers) can render a
</I>><i> system
</I>><i> technically functional, but with important dysfunctions, simply
</I>><i> because
</I>><i> the required drivers were not available on installation.
</I>><i> That should not happen.
</I>
IMHO, that is not *our* choice to make for the user.
><i> The kernel, firmware and drivers, built on the hardware, provide a
</I>><i> platform on which the application software runs.
</I>><i> True, it is better if drivers are open source, but in my view, it is
</I>><i> application software where open source is the most important.
</I>
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
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