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

[Alexandre Oliva]

On Aug 18, 2009, address@hidden (Karl Berry) wrote:

>       name = "some/firmware.bin";
>       if (request_firmware (&fw, name, dev) < 0) {
>         printk (ERROR "%s: failed to load firmware `%s'", dev->name, name);

> Thanks.

> So ... how about if the GPL'd code is included, but with a disabled
> firmware loading mechanism, and instead of printing the missing fw
> files, they print an error message with an explanation why the device is
> not supported?

Hey, cool!, I'm going to get Linux-libre to do just that in no time!
Literally in no time!  Because that's exactly what we do :-)

> That way, the GPL'd code is included, the nonfree firmware code is not
> being "advertised", and there is a more viable hope that some developer
> will be found to work on free alternatives.

My thinking a well.  Of course anyone who perceives such drivers as
pointless (a perfectly legitimate position, FWIW) may very well remove
them from Linux-libre, or just save some compile-time CPU cycles
disabling them in config files.

-- 
Alexandre Oliva, freedom fighter    http://FSFLA.org/~lxoliva/
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Gandhi
Be Free! -- http://FSFLA.org/   FSF Latin America board member
Free Software Evangelist      Red Hat Brazil Compiler Engineer