Hi, On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 12:14:10PM +0100, Peter Palfrader wrote: > I so didn't want to get into this discussion, but here goes anyway. > > I'm considering formally proposing this GR (option): > > | Firmware is data that is uploaded to hardware components, not designed to be > | run on the host CPU. Often this firmware is already required at install > time > | in order to use network or storage devices. > | > | Unfortunately such firmware often is distributed as BLOBs, with no source or > | further documentation that lets us learn how it works or interacts with the > | hardware in question. By excluding such firmware from Debian we exclude > | users that require such devices from installing our operating system, or > | make it unnecessarily hard for them. > | > | Therefore the Debian project resolves that > | a) firmware in Debian does not have to come with source. While we do > | prefer firmware that comes with source and documentation we will not > | require it, > | b) we however do require all other freedoms that the DFSG mandate from > | components of our operating system, and > | c) such firmware can and should be part of our official installation media. > > > Point (c) could mean that for now such data may stay in the main section > of our archive but that we should look into creating a new, seperate > section for firmware that does not come with source. But that's an > implementation detail that need not be part of the GR.
I would second this proposal, as is, if it would be one. Best Regards, Patrick -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
