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

[Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli]

On Fri, 3 Feb 2017 11:21:44 -0500
Julie Marchant <address@hidden> wrote:

> On 02/03/2017 09:37 AM, David Craven wrote:
> > 3. There is documentation available that enables the developement of
> > free firmware.  
> 
> This typically doesn't exist.
Indeed, however in some rare cases they are available. In the case of
embedded controllers, I think that enough documentation is available.

> That's why proprietary firmware blobs are used. If people knew how to
> develop libre firmware for a device, someone would do it. I'm sure
> even Linus Torvalds prefers libre firmware that can actually be
> maintained over proprietary firmware blobs that cannot.
I'm not sure about that. I guess that many people and linux developers
also want feature-parity and stability with the proprietary firmwares.
- Openfwwf is supported by the b43 driver but not used by default. Is
  it because it require some data to build the firmware files?
- The radeon driver refuses to probe if fimrwares are not loaded. It
  was not the case in earlier versions of linux.

Denis.