Re: [GNU-linux-libre] Free firmware - A redefinition of the term and a new metric for it's measurement.

[Julie Marchant]

On 02/14/2017 01:43 PM, David Craven wrote:
> No thank you. I don't want to use binary blobs. I'll just use another
> distro until guixsd works without binary blobs.

GuixSD isn't what requires binary blobs. The hardware is. These other
distros you use come with these proprietary blobs, and GuixSD does not.

And this is ultimately why none of this discussion matters. Regardless
of what you think about embedded firmware, when a peripheral requires
the kernel to *load* proprietary firmware onto it, a libre OS can
*never* run on it. That makes these peripherals unacceptable.

Peripherals that have proprietary firmware embedded into them, on the
other hand, will at least operate when a libre OS attempts to use them.
We could argue about whether or not this state of affairs is acceptable,
but it is definitely better than requiring a proprietary operating
system to use the peripheral.

-- 
Julie Marchant
https://onpon4.github.io

Protect your emails with GnuPG:
https://emailselfdefense.fsf.org

signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature