Re: [H-source-users] Advice on listing a ZTE MF730M 3G dongle

[Michał Masłowski]

> Thanks, a case of 'changed since I last read it.'  (You could almost
> drive a Raspberry Pi through it now. But which is the 'auxillary
> processor' there :-) ).

I personally understand it in this way: devices that are RYF-endorsed
are ok, I'm not able to decide if a different device complies with the
criteria (ARM bootrom, firmware in flash chips which aren't processors,
etc).  It helps that I'm not their target audience: I don't sell
computers.

>>> To give related examples - how would h-node list iPhones as
>>> peripherals if they like Android did tethered RNDIS 3/4G?  Are any
>>> distinctions made between Openmoko/Replicant/Cyanogenmod phones used
>>> for this purpose vs locked Androids you can't load libre firmware on?
>> 
>> Consider them "computers" (for our poorly named "notebooks, netbooks,
>> tablet PC" category?), not 3G cards?
>
> I prefer the simplicity of your earlier suggestion - 'if it works with
> GNU FSDG distros or Debian main only', it's scalable to the Internet
> of Things which also have a USB port.  Otherwise you get into all
> sorts of wrangles.  E.g. this dongle is described as 'advanced' so all
> that's really different between it and an Android is size, power, voice
> calls, a physical screen and apps.  The problem will shortly get much
> worse if we do otherwise.

People normally use phones when they are not connected to computers and
install software on them (no phone is too locked to prevent installation
of paid nonfree software from its vendor's app store).  3G dongles are
useful only when connected to computers.  The issue is: does "it works
with GNU FSDG distros" imply that the distro is running on that device?

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