On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 09:47:00PM +0100, Michelle Konzack wrote: > There are SDKs called "Builder" where you will have NEVER source code, > even as Developer, since the "Builder" create an IMAGE which will be > uploaded into the the SRAM of a Microcontroller (I have some 8051 > compatibles) and then after uploading it is executed...
So if you use one of those, YOU chose to use non-free software. That isn't Debian's fault, and it isn't their problem that you chose to use such a combination. > The Microcontroller cost arround 4 US$ but if I user the same WITH > integrated FLASH memory, it cost arround 9-12 US$. > > So, the prefered form of distributing is a 16/32/64/128/256 kByte IMAGE. > > Currently I am developing a Hardware where I need such thing and now > puzzeling arround whether to use a firmware loader (GNU GPL version 3.0, > already coded and packed for the Debian distribution) or use the same > Microcontroller WITH FLASH which then is arround 5 US$ more expensive > and if the final Hardware cost arround 40 US$ (without VAT) in Low-Cost. > > I do not know, whether my customers accepet 5 US$ more. Who knows. I guess a question is, do you want it to work with a free system like Debian, or are you going to require users to use an external firmware file that in the case of Debian at best would mean they have to enable non-free. > However, my Firmware Loader must be there anyway for upgrades... Sure, but the user would only need to deal with non-free stuff if they actually want to update it. Not for normal use. > The question is, what do you want with the Sourcecode? Who knows, who cares. That doesn't matter. > Reprogramming? A singel error in the parameters will cook your computer > hardware and HOW do you want to recode something or add functionality? > > I have choosen the smallest Microcontroller required to save money... Yep. Again your choice. Might be a good choice, but every choice has advantages and disadvantages. > Yes, I can reploaye a MC with 16 kByte SRAM with one which has 256 kByte > and then OSS frickler can add stuff, but this would make the controller > over 10 times more expensive... > > Please think about it. We have. Debian main's policies are not and should not be influenced by your bottom line. It just doesn't matter to the Debian project. It is not decided by the convinience factor of end users who decided to go for the cheapest piece of crap hardware they could find. If convinience was the only factor, then why not use the OS the hardware developer provided drivers for (probably windows of course)? > I have the hell striping down the firmware of my hardware to fit into > 32 kByte and you are talking about modifications to it... > > I am sure, my enterprise is not the only one wondering about such > requirement to let users modify firmware of sensibel hardware which CAN > destuct the whole computer since they have to leafe out some stuff to > get it into the small memories... That still isn't the point. If someone uses a soldering iron on the device they are also likely to break it. A hammer could break it too. Who cares. The point is whether or not your device is capable of operating with a system consisting entirely of free software or not. This doesn't mean you have to provide free firmware, as long as the operating system doesn't need to have anything to do with getting that firmware to your device. If you have flash to provide it to yourself at power on, great, you took care of it. Some users may still dislike your device for having closed hardware, but that's a free hardware question, not a free operating system/software question, and Debian isn't about free hardware, it is about free software. > It is useless because I am building a hardware which take me several > month to develop plus coding testing the software in a secured > environement where hardware can not be destucted... > > The lifetime of such hardware would be maybe 3-5 years and now, you can > explain me, HOW you would develop/recode the firmware, if you have NOT > the requirement environement, risking damages to the hardware and more. > > You do not know the internals of my hardware and have to guess things. > Without the hardware developer tools you can not even DEBUG the Hardware > while loading YOUR hacked firmware. Even if my hardware has a JTAG > connector... It might be useful to one person in a million. > > > So the plan is: "Debian is only for hardware manufacturers that > > > embed the firmware in flash. If you hide your non-free stuff, that'd > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > Which would make hardware much more expensive That's right. You can make your hardware contain non-free stuff, and Debian doesn't care since that's a hardware thing. Other people will still care of cousrse, but probably a lot less. Just don't require Debian to include non-free stuff to make your hardware work. -- Len Sorensen -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
