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From: | Karl Goetz |
Subject: | Re: [gNewSense-users] Firmware - out of the kernel but still in the hardware? |
Date: | Mon, 06 Nov 2006 16:17:50 +1030 |
User-agent: | Thunderbird 1.5.0.7 (X11/20060922) |
Dennis Kibbe wrote:
You can return a defective card because the firmware doesn't work. you cant return a defective kernel :) and debian/ubuntu/gns dont update kernels (abi+api) after a release is stable, so saying 'you can update the firmware easier' doesn't really hold in this case.gNewSense takes the firmware out of the kernel but what about the hardware? For example, the Intel 2200 chipset doesn't work with gNewSense because of firmware blobs missing from /lib/firmware. The Netgear MA-401 PCMCIA card does work, but isn't that just because the firmware is in the chipset in the card instead of in the kernel?
The difference is the firmware is already there, so its not like you have an option about it (its in hardware in some way). if your loading binary firmware from the kernel your loading non-free code.If that's the case then the end result is the same, isn't it?
Of course we need to start somewhere and gNewSense is a great project that I will use on all my computers and support it within our group.
My Alpha workstation has firmware, i use it for loading the OS. Sometimes you have to live with non-free firmware because its part of the system :)
kk
Dennis Kibbe
-- Karl Goetz The buck stops there -> $ Australian Ubuntu users team - http://wiki.ubuntu.com/AustralianTeam
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