Re: [GNU-linux-libre] Re: Freedom issues with non-free firmware in external files

[Karl Goetz]

On Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:18:39 +0300
Yavor Doganov <address@hidden> wrote:

> Karl Goetz wrote:
> > Why does the firmware load mechanism need to be disabled? I'd have
> > thought leaving it enabled is more likely to encourage development
> > on free alternatives (by lowering the barrier to entry when it
> > comes to testing them).
> 
> Not that I know much about driver and/or firmware development, but

I've not rebuilt (outside builder) any of the affected kernel modules,
so take the following with a grain of salt.

> IMHO there is simply not a single person able to hack and implement
> free firmware replacement while at the same treating recompilation of
> a kernel module as "barrier".

If my reading of [1] is correct, the only compiling required for b43
chips (broadcoms) is to build the openfwwf firmware. Rebuilding the
kernel module on top of that seems an unnecessarily complex job; and a
tedious one: it needs to be re-done on every kernel update.

[1] http://wiki.gnewsense.org/Documentation/Wireless

> Strictly theoretically speaking, you are right.  But... such a brave
> hacker is likely to test his firmware with different kernel versions,
> and on different hosts, possibly with different configuration options
> that may affect the behavior of the driver.  I cannot say for sure,
> but I'm inclined to think that the said hacker is going to resort to
> compilation in any case.
> 
> Given the harm that leaving the firmware loading mechanism does to the
> majority of the users by undermining the cause, I believe it's not an
> affordable price to pay to keep it.

I'm still not convinced the loading mechanism does the user harm. (As
opposed to an error telling them to install proprietary software on
load, where I definitely agree its a problem.)
kk

-- 
Karl Goetz, (Kamping_Kaiser / VK5FOSS)
Debian contributor / gNewSense Maintainer
http://www.kgoetz.id.au
No, I won't join your social networking group

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