Fedora not "free" enough for GNU?

[Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams]

On Fri, 2008-09-19 at 10:25 -0500, Arthur Pemberton wrote:
> 2008/9/19 Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet at gmail.com>:
> > 1) Regulatory issues
> >
> > Hardware vendors need to prevent end-users from modifying the firmware
> > so that the hardware can not be driven outside legal ranges.
> >
> > 2) Intellectual "Property" issues
> >
> > Hardware vendors don't want other hardware vendors to know how they run
> > their hardware so that their design can't be copied or stolen.
> >
> > 3) Inability to build
> >
> > Firmware is usually code for some PLD or ASIC, which needs specialized
> > (and EXPENSIVE) compilers to build. Most people are unlikely to be able
> > to turn the source into the firmware.
> 
> Another question I guess would be -- do any of these points benefit
> power or regular users?

Hah. No. And in fact, it can cripple them under certain circumstances
(e.g., bug in the firmware).

-- 
Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet at gmail.com>

PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed
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