kernel-libre (hopefully 100% Free) for Fedora 8 and rawhide

[Les Mikesell]

Alexandre Oliva wrote:
> 
>> Alexandre Oliva wrote:
>>> It's a matter of not supporting the
>>> distribution of non-Free Software, no matter how hidden it is, or how
>>> important it is for some.
> 
>> What is the issue with firmware?  Isn't it typically an update or
>> variation of what is already embedded in the corresponding hardware
>> anyway?
> 
> No, as of lately, quite often there isn't anything embedded in the
> corresponding hardware.
> 
> The difference is that, when the firmware is embedded in the
> controller, you can pretty much ignore it, and you got it from the
> vendor anyway.

And if it's broken as shipped you'd like it to stay that way?

> But as firmware moves out of devices, because their vendors are too
> cheap to add non-volatile memory, and prefer to provide them
> separately and count on operating system distributors to help them
> keep users helpless, why should we help them do it, and increase their
> profit margins while at that?

Because it gives us a better working product and the ability to keep it 
current.

>> That is, you don't have a choice of free vs. non-free, just working
>> or not working.
> 
> The first choice is purchase and feed the monster, or purchase
> something else.

Do you have some examples of devices that work better with old firmware 
in rom?

> Once you got it and you can't return it, you're stuck with it.  At
> that point, it is indeed a matter of choice between keeping your
> freedom or sacrificing it for convenience.

I still don't see the difference in freeness whether the code is 
embedded or loaded.  Vendor-engineered code is the same either way and 
probably the best you'll get. What sacrifice do you see?

> ATM, Fedora doesn't give users this choice.  Fedora forces people to
> choose between Fedora and freedom.

"People" don't get freedom with GPL-restricted code, they get 
GPL-restricted code.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com