On Wed, May 09, 2012 at 21:33, mark sullivan wrote: > I was coming to OpenBSD 5.1 looking for reasonable privacy and when I > install it (amd64 flavour), I see that fw_update automatically installs > propietary firmware without my permission. Actually even worse, it updates > it automatically from the net! > The parts affected are quite meaningful: the network card and the video > card... I mean.. ???? Should I request that you install propietary > firmware for my sound card too so that everybody can record my voice too? > I would like to hear your arguments on this and if there is a simple way > to disable fw_update and uninstall in general everything propietary > affecting the network card that I have not been warned about. I read on > the FAQ that I should have been asked about this firmware but I wasnB4t! > (amd64 cd installer).
The firmware is only loaded onto the network card if you enable the interface using ifconfig. If you do not trust your network card, don't use it. If you don't trust the network card, but you still want to use it, you're shit out of luck. It won't work without the firmware.
